My dog has a seasonal cough and gag. What can I give him at home?

I would not recommend giving Mocha Robitussin total cough, cold and flu extra strength. It contains pseudoephedrine and acetominophen which can both be toxic in dogs if not used very carefully (and Mocha is a small guy). I wish I could give you a good recommendation for an over the counter medication, but the safest cough medications for dogs are only available by prescription. I would recommend contacting your vet about Mocha's cough and see what they would recommend for him. Coughing can be caused by anything from irritation to a virus to something much more severe, so I would make sure to keep your vet in the loop and have Mocha evaluated right away if he seems to get worse or not feel well. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Robitussin DM can be used in dogs however you should contact your veterinarian for a safe dose. This medication is not approved for use in dogs but has been used "off label" to treat mild, dry cough. Caution should be used if given with Benadryl as excessive sedation can result. Again, contact your veterinarian before treating. Your dog may need an exam to diagnose the underlying cause.

Unfortunately, it is illegal for use to recommend using any OTC drugs on Owen because we can't see him in person. We can't say it's safe. In addition, we can't know if it's the right drug. This horrible cough could be due to a respiratory infection, but it could also be due to a collapsing trachea or heart disease, neither of which robitussin can treat. Keep him as calm as possible, rest him, offer him smaller amounts of water at a time, and have him seen by a vet as soon as possible.

I would not recommend giving him anything over the counter for the cough as it's probably not going to help much and human medications are generally not safe for dogs. if the cough becomes severe he will need antibiotic and strong anti coughing meds, if that happens take him to the vet in order to get the medications, otherwise the condition should resolve within a couple weeks without treatment.

Poor Roxey. The changing of seasons can certainly cause these guys to get some congestion. Unfortunately since Roxey is older, I would take her to your vet for an exam. She could have a simple upper respiratory infection or something more serious like the canine flu, heart disease, or even pneumonia. Your vet will be able to listen to her heart and lungs. Your vet can also do blood work or chest X-rays if needed and provide the proper medicine to help make her feel better. Unfortunately there isn’t a good OTC medicine to help her feel better. You can try 75 mg (3 adult tablets) of Benadryl twice a day until you can get her to the vet. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon.

Unfortunately, by law it is illegal for the experts at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to give the dose information for any drug, including OTC drugs, without seeing the animal in person first. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for your dog. I would not give this to Waldo unless prescribed for him by your vet, and under their supervision. You can discuss with your vet if this is safe to give him, and they can give you the dose information.

Poor Teddy! The most common cause of a chronic cough in a papillion is due to a collapsing trachea. Sometimes products like Robitussin can help, but there are other causes of coughing - specifically heart disease or bronchitis that should be ruled out by having a chest xray performed. Legally I cannot give dosing information for Robitussin to you unless I have performed a physical exam on Teddy. There are better medication options if his vet does confirm a collapsing trachea is the cause of his cough.