It’s normal for dogs to cough and sneeze occasionally, but if it happens often, these symptoms may mean that your dog has health problems. Possible causes include respiratory parasites, lung infections, kennel cough, or canine influenza. It is recommended to take it to the veterinarian.
Two of the most common symptoms that veterinarians hear from dog owners are coughing and sneezing, especially when the weather turns cold.
Occasional coughing and sneezing in healthy dogs are usually not causes for concern. But, if it becomes a constant or recurring problem, it can indicate a severe illness.
In other situations, coughing and sneezing can be a physiological response to different triggering factors:
- Cigarette smoke
- Inflammation
- Excessive mucus accumulation
- Aspirated food
- Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract
In this article, you will learn the medical reasons why dogs cough and sneeze, what you can do, and more.
Why Is My Dog Sneezing and Coughing?
The most common causes of coughing and sneezing in dogs are respiratory parasites, lung infections, canine influenza, and kennel cough. Contact the veterinarian if your dog shows specific symptoms or coughs and sneezes constantly.
Coughing and sneezing are associated with several different diseases in dogs.
Knowing the most common causes of coughing and sneezing in dogs can help you identify issues in good time.
1. Coughing and Sneezing Caused by Respiratory Parasites
Respiratory parasites (lungworms) live in the respiratory tract of dogs, more specifically the following areas:
- Nasal cavity and sinuses
- Lungs
- Pulmonary veins and heart
There are many parasites that classify as respiratory parasites:
- Aelurostrongylus abstrusus
- Capillaria aerophila
- Oslerus osleri
- Filaroides hirthi
Dogs that spend a lot of time outside have an increased risk of developing these parasitic infections.
Infestation occurs when dogs eat snails, frogs, or other intermediate hosts infested with larvae.[1] Dogs can also become infested when they drink or eat water or food contaminated with worm eggs.[2]
After the larvae are ingested, they travel to dogs’ hearts and lungs where they mature into adult parasites. Females lay eggs, from which larvae quickly develop. Developed larvae then pass into the pulmonary alveoli.
Infested dogs cough and spit out the larvae from the oral cavity, then swallow them and later pass them in their feces. When the larvae are then ingested by snails, frogs, or earthworms, the parasite’s biological cycle is complete.
In some lungworms, the developmental cycle is direct, meaning no intermediate host is needed. In these cases, dogs become infected through the feces and vomit of other infected animals.
Symptoms of lungworms in dogs include:
- Cough
- Breathing problems
- Wheezing
- Sneezing
- Blood coagulation problems – longer bleeding
In severe cases, hemorrhages in various organs and the death of infested dogs can occur.
Contact the vet if your dog shows any of these symptoms.
2. Coughing and Sneezing Caused by Respiratory Tract Infections
Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can infect the respiratory tract of dogs:
- Lung tissue (pneumonia)
- Respiratory tract (bronchitis)
- A combination of these (bronchopneumonia)
Bacterial and viral infections can cause the following symptoms in dogs:
- Coughing
- Runny nose and watery eyes
- Wheezing
- Fever
- Panting
- Breathing difficulty
- Rapid and shallow breathing
- Cyanosis – the tongue and lips may turn blue or gray due to lack of oxygen in the blood
Fungal infections are the most dangerous. They are often caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis, a fungus that can also affect humans. Dogs can transmit blastomycosis to humans.[3]
Blastomycosis occurs by inhaling Blastomyces spores, which are found especially in wood and on the ground.
This disease can lead to the following issues:
- Cough and difficulty breathing
- Bloody nasal discharge
- Nodules or skin lesions
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Fever
- Lack of appetite
- Weight loss
- Eye problems
- Urinary problems
- Lameness
- Nervous signs
- Seizures
Respiratory tract infections are dangerous if they are not treated in time. The symptoms of lung infections can be confused with heart disease, which is why it is recommended to consult a vet.
3. Coughing and Sneezing Caused by Canine Influenza
Canine influenza or canine flu is a respiratory disease caused by specific type A influenza viruses.[4] The disease can occur in any dog regardless of breed or age and is both dangerous and contagious.
The virus is transmitted relatively easily from a sick dog to a healthy dog through aerosol droplets, coughing, sneezing, or respiratory secretions.
Dogs cannot transmit canine influenza viruses to humans.
The influenza virus does not live long in the environment. This is why most dogs get infected when they come into direct contact with other infected animals.
The symptoms of canine influenza are similar to a respiratory infection:
- Fever
- Coughing and sneezing
- Runny nose that transforms into yellow-green mucus
- Breathing difficulties
- Apathy
- Appetite loss
- Weight loss
Contact the vet if your dog is showing any of these symptoms. To prevent it, ask the vet for the canine influenza vaccine.
4. Coughing and Sneezing Caused by Kennel Cough
Kennel cough (or infectious tracheobronchitis) is a disease produced by several viruses and bacteria (often at the same time).[5]
“Kennel cough” is actually a term that refers to infectious and contagious respiratory diseases that manifest mainly through coughing.
The most common bacteria that is responsible for kennel cough is called Bordetella bronchiseptica. Most dogs that become infected with Bordetella are simultaneously infected with a virus that favors infection with this bacterium.
Dogs develop kennel cough when they inhale bacteria or virus particles in the respiratory tract. This tract is normally lined with a layer of mucus that protects against infection, but it can be weakened for several reasons:
- Living in crowded conditions and in poorly ventilated spaces, such as kennels and shelters
- Low temperatures
- Exposure to dust or cigarette smoke
- Travel-induced stress
The classic symptom of kennel cough is persistent coughing that sounds like a honking goose.[6] Other symptoms include sneezing and nasal secretions.
Kennel cough is not normally associated with loss of appetite or low energy levels.
Kennel cough is contagious. If you suspect your dog of this disease, you must keep it away from other animals and contact the veterinarian.
Although drug treatment is not always necessary, it can speed up recovery and reduce the symptoms of the infection. Dogs usually recover in three weeks.
The more severe and long-lasting infections must be seriously investigated by a vet because they can lead to complications such as pneumonia.
You can prevent kennel cough through regular vaccination.
