My dog has a URI and won't stop coughing. What else helps her cough?

She could have a food allergy or sensitivity to something else in her environment that is causing her flaky skin and itching. Dog allergies tend to be expressed on the skin rather than in sneezing and coughing like humans. Even if she isn't food allergic, some of the prescription diets could be beneficial to her skin. My personal favorite is Hill's Prescription Diet j/d. It is marketed as a joint support diet and is high in Omega-3 as its protein source is fish. I had a dog with bad skin and my veterinarian recommended this and he did well with it. Cool baths with a mild oatmeal-based dog shampoo can help relieve the itching.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Honey is absolutely precious! Coughing, especially when accompanied by nasal discharge, can be a sign of an upper respiratory infection. However, it can also be a sign of a lower respiratory issue, such as pneumonia and it is concerning that Honey has some episodes of lethargy, as this indicates that she is not feeling well. I recommend having her seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment. I hope Honey starts feeling better soon!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If your dog is coughing, she should be evaluated by a veterinarian for an exam and chest x-rays at their next available appointment. She could have pneumonia, asthma, or something such as heart disease that is causing her to cough. It is important to determine why a dog is coughing before suppressing the cough, as this could worsen something like pneumonia or heart disease, which require medications such as antibiotics or diuretics, respectively. Please do not give anything like cough syrup to her, as these can contain chemicals that are toxic to dogs. I hope this is helpful!

Light pounding on the sides of the chest in her case could help releasing the phlegm, there are also medications such as codeine and terbutalin that can help but you will need to get them from your vet as they are prescription only.

Poor guy. It can take 48-72 hrs for antibiotics to take effect. So if it is not past that point then he likely needs a bit more time. If you feel the coughing is too severe, and he isn’t coughing up mucous or fluid, then he can safely be prescribed a cough suppressant by your vet. You can also try some warm water and a small amount of honey, which has natural anti-inflammatory properties to help with his cough. Poor guy. I hope Vincent feels better soon. Take care.

Poor Baby. She likely has an upper respiratory infection. A lower airway infection (pneumonia) is possible also but typically pets are much sicker and have fluid sounds from the chest if this were the case. Upper respiratory infections in dogs are not like people colds, because they generally are caused by a bacterial infection which requires a short course of antibiotics to get rid of. Therefore, it's best if you get Baby seen by your local vet to be examined and prescribed medication. I would make it a point to get her seen within the next 24 hrs if at all possible, before her condition gets any worse. Don't be tempted to give her any over be counter cough medicine, because she has, what sounds like, a productive cough (coughing up fluid and phlegm) and therefore you don't want to suppress her cough. The vet will give her the exact medication she needs to get well again. I wish Baby a full and speedy recovery!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor guy! is your pet a dog or a cat? What breed and how old? It is helpful to know a bit more. If he has been on TWO antibiotics and zyrtec since May and it has returned while on these medications I would have him rechecked by your Vet. I would want a chest X-ray and consider doing different medications based on the recheck exam and X-rays. There are many reason for a cough: genetic condition where the trachea collapses, larygneal disease, allergies, heart worm disease, other parasites, allergic disease that needs steroids, cancer, heart enlargement or heart failure. I wish you the best!