What to do when my dog has hiccups and refuses to drink water?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Hiccups are spasms of the diaphragm and can occur from excitement, eating or drinking too fast (swallows air), stress or fatigue. If Axie is eating and drinking and NOT retching or vomiting I would think he should be fine. Also be sure he can rest comfortably and his belly isn't swollen. If he won't eat or is vomiting or retching you should contact the owners and take him to a Vet. If all else is fine maybe check in on him an lunch. Good luck!

What a sweet face!! Unfortunately there’s not really much you can do, but the good news is that hiccups are harmless. You can try using a raised food and bowl, but this may not help much. Sorry I don’t have a solution, but the good news is that hiccups aren’t a health problem. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Puppy hiccups are quite common and typically become less frequent with age. Often this is due to gulping air with excitement or eating/drinking to fast. If the latter is the case you can try feeding on a plate with a cup or rock in the middle to make her eat around it thus slowing her down. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hiccups are very normal in puppies, so I wouldn't be concerned about this :) If you think he is eating too fast, you can try putting his food in a puzzle toy like a Kong or a Kibble Nibble so that he has to eat more slowly - this is also a great way to keep puppies busy and give them something fun to do. Puppy training should be very positive with lots of rewards and short training sessions - Yogi is just a baby, so his attention span is going to be very short at this age. Use treats to show him what you want him to do, then praise and reward when he gets it right. Puppy proof your home to keep things out of his reach that he shouldn't have, and make sure he has lots of appropriate items to chew on - things like bully sticks, cow or pig ears, or rawhide chews are great for this. Puppies don't understand the concept of "doing wrong" - they only know that you're angry, and they act scared and submissive because they're frightened. So focus on showing him what you want him to do, and prevent him from making mistakes by managing the environment. If you have specific questions about how to teach him to do certain things, feel free to post another question with more details - we would be happy to try and help.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am not very concerned about hiccups in general. Even though she may swallow some air, it is not likely to be enough- and to last long enough, to cause problems. Of course, if you see any signs that concern you, (vomiting or dry heaving, lethargy, etc) head straight back to your emergency vet. Best wishes to you and Emma and I hope she is on he way to recovery soon!

Hello. Hiccups are the result of a spasm in the diaphragm. It can occur from various maladies including heartworm disease, stimulation of the phrenic nerve & cancer ( very unlikely in such a young dog ). This may also be a case of Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter, also known as Thumps. I would talk with your veterinarian to see if an EKG & blood work is needed. Otherwise, some of these dogs will respond to a tapering dose of Prednisone, &/or an oral calcium tablet. Sometimes, it just eventually goes away by itself. Just to make sure, have your vet take a look at things. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry that Daxon is having hiccups, but rest assured they are very normal for puppies. Their gastrointestinal tracts are immature and still developing. Hiccups are sudden, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle. As the muscle contracts repeatedly, the opening between the vocal cords snaps shut to check the inflow of air and makes the hiccup sound. Because these areas are still developing in puppies, they are prone to more frequent hiccups then older dogs. My philosophy is often that less is more. Meaning that, the hiccups are natural, and therefore we shouldn't interfere with unnecessary medications. If the hiccups are slightly frustrating for you to hear, perhaps you could try distracting or redirecting Daxon when they occur. This might "trick his system" into halting the hiccups. Here are a few of my favorite interactive toys; http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+3+40+25413&pcatid=25413 http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+3+40+26279&pcatid=26279