My healthy older dog coughs after drinking water. What can I do?

Yes, she may be getting some water in her nose or is swallowing too quickly which could cause some coughing. I recommend trying a raised feed and water station to see if that helps the coughing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Channing.

A cough associated with drinking can be a sign of dysfunction of the nerves that affect the larynx and the vocal cords. There are many other potential causes of a cough ranging from bronchitis to heart disease. I would recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian for a physical exam. X-rays might be recommended as a first step.

Unfortunately this is not common and the majority of dogs will drink with no problem. I imagine that when he drinks a little water is going down the wrong way. This is possibly due to an issue at the back of the throat effecting his swallow mechanism. Don't panic about it as I'm sure he is doing well otherwise, but I think it would definitely be wise to have your vet investigate this. They will likely need to sedate him and do imaging.

Hazel could have tracheal irritation from the collar or prong collar. Some dogs have more sensitive tracheas than others and some dogs have genetically smaller or collapsing tracheas that are predisposed to problems. However, I would also be concerned Hazel may have picked up a bacterial or viral infection that is causing her to cough. I would recommend taking her in to your vet to have them evaluate her lungs and throat to see if she needs any medication or potentially switch her to a harness instead of a collar.

With her age I recommend letting a veterinarian listen to her lungs. It can be heart or respiratory. If she has a murmur you may want to consider taking her to a cardiologist to have her heart evaluated. If her heart sounds fine I would talk to your veterinarian about tracheal collapse or respiratory diseases. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hazel could be coughing after drinking the water if it is cold and shocking her a little when she drinks, you could try giving her water at room temp. However, it could be a sign that there is a source of irritation in her throat. For example if she had a problem with the opening to her trachea some water could be going the wrong way causing her to cough. I would expect her to show other signs though if this was the case. If it gets worse or persists at could warrant an investigation at the vets. Most dogs will have a rest after a walk. As long as she has plenty of energy when out I wouldn't worry too much. Spayed dogs can still get an infection in the vagina so if she persistently licks or you can see a wound or discharge I would visit the vet.

Hello, sorry to hear about Maci. This does not necessarily seem to be associated with a specific issue. One thing to consider is that she could have been born with a congenital abnormality such as an abnormal esophagus. It could be much more simple such as Maci drinking water too quickly. Reason being is that she only does this with water and not with anything she ingests. If she continues to do this, then she should be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if there are any abnormalities. In the interim, you should raise her water and food bowls so that gravity can help ingest move in the right direction. Feed her small frequent meals over larger meals. Hope this helps and best of luck.