Content
- dog coughing and vomiting
- What is a cough?
- Why throw up?
- Causes of coughing and vomiting
- eat too fast
- Obstruction
- collapse of the trachea
- intense exercise
- Heart diseases
- Kennel cough
- Gastritis
- Abdominal distension and gastric torsion
- Poisonings and intoxications
- parasites
- What you can do
- don't try to stop vomiting
- After the animal vomits, avoid giving it food and drink right away
- Reduce exercise and play time
- take to the doctor
- vaccinate your animal
- prevention measures
Coughing and vomiting are often associated and, although they are not diseases per se, they are a warning from the body that something is not right. Therefore, it is important to identify the causes and know how to act in this situation, which can lead to serious consequences if not treated in time.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will review and explain a little the possible causes and solutions of: Dog coughing and vomiting white goo - what to do?
image: Maltese YANNIS | Youtube
dog coughing and vomiting
What is a cough?
A cough is the body's defense mechanism to try to expel something that is irritating the animal's airways or esophagus and is often associated with vomiting of white foam due to exertion during coughing.
Not every cough is synonymous with illness, but no tutor likes to see his dog cough too much. Most of the causes of coughing are due to illness or obstruction in the animal's esophagus.
Why throw up?
Often vomiting and regurgitation are confused. O vomit it is the condition of expelling stomach contents out of the body and the animal has spasms and repeated contractions of the stomach and abdomen. THE regurgitation it is the expulsion of contents from the esophagus that have not yet reached the stomach, the animal does not present contractions of the abdomen and more easily expels the contents by stretching the neck, which normally comes in a tubular form and covered with a goo. It is very important to distinguish these two situations for differentiate between gastric and non-gastric causes.
Vomiting is very common in dogs and, in general, if it is a temporary situation and the animal does not show any other associated symptoms, it is not very serious, but if, on the other hand, it is a regular situation, it is a sign that it is necessary to intervene. It is very typical for dogs to vomit a kind of transparent goo and white foam, which may be due to numerous factors. White foam is a mixture of saliva and stomach acid and can have a more viscous consistency like goo.
When the dog coughs and vomits white goo you need to know how to identify the cause to know what is happening with your pet and be able to help.
Read our full article on dog vomiting white foam - causes, symptoms and treatment.
Causes of coughing and vomiting
eat too fast
It is quite common for a dog to eat too fast and then vomit a slimy foam or white goo.
Eating too fast can lead to eating very large unchewed food, dust or hair that irritates your pet's throat and will cause coughing and vomiting.
If your dog eats too fast and tries to vomit without success, or is having other difficulties, it is best to go to the vet immediately.
Obstruction
Some larger food, a bone or a toy, can cause the dog to choke and, as a reflex, the animal coughs and vomits to try to expel this foreign body. It is possible that vomiting will solve the problem if the foreign body comes out, but if you notice that the animal is still coughing and pulling vomit without success, you should immediately act and take it to the veterinarian.
collapse of the trachea
An animal with a collapsed trachea often has difficulty breathing, causing a persistent cough and, consequently, vomiting.
There are more predisposed races that are referred to in the article referring to this topic.
If you use a collar, change to the pectoral, control the animal's weight and reduce exercise.
intense exercise
Too much exercise can cause the animal to not breathe well, cough, feel nauseous and vomit. The incessant pulling of the collar and leash itself can cause this.
Heart diseases
Initially, heart disease can result in exercise intolerance, excessive panting during or after the walk and coughing, and in the end vomiting a white goo.
The cough is due to the increased size of the heart that compresses the trachea and other parts of the airways.
Breeds such as Boxer, King Charles Cavalier and Yorkshire Terrier are the most predisposed breeds.
Kennel cough
Canine infectious tracheobronchitis or kennel cough is an infectious disease similar to our flu caused by viruses or bacteria and, depending on the causative agent, is considered a zoonosis (disease transmitted to humans).
The animal coughs repeatedly and ends up forcing vomit as if it were choking, expelling a white goo or foam.
If kennel cough is diagnosed, it is important to keep the animal away from others, wash utensils and clothes, to avoid contagion.
Gastritis
Normally, vomiting appears in the morning when the animal wakes up. If the goo is not white and it is a yellow goo, it corresponds to the bile fluid. See our article on what to do if your dog vomits yellow. If the animal vomits blood, there is a strong suspicion of a gastric ulcer and you should inform your veterinarian.
In case of viral gastritis, watching, hydrating your dog and administering the drugs that the veterinarian recommended is the best thing to do.
Abdominal distension and gastric torsion
Also known as “upset stomach”, it is more common in large animals and is characterized by excessive accumulation of gas, gastric juices, foam and food inside the stomach.
The stomach first dilates and then twists and turns, trapping the contents and strangling the veins. It is a medical emergency because it can be fatal.
Symptoms that allow you to identify a gastric torsion include: constant attempt to vomit but unsuccessfully, vomiting saliva that has tried to swallow but failed, abdominal bloating, pain and discomfort in the abdominal region, and loss of appetite. See our full article on gastric torsion in dogs.
Poisonings and intoxications
Vomiting can also be caused by accidental ingestion of toxic substances or plants.
parasites
Intestinal parasites cause changes in the digestive tract and lead to vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss. Many can obstruct the intestine and the animal cannot eat and continues to vomit a white or yellowish fluid.
What you can do
When consulting the veterinarian, you should give as much information as possible:
- animal habits
- disease history
- Vomiting frequency: at what time do you vomit (if fasting on waking, if after exercise, if soon after eating)
- Appearance of vomiting: color and constitution (blood, food remains or just liquid/foam)
- If animal has or had access to drugs or toxic products
- What kind of plants do you have at home
It may be necessary to take blood, urine and/or stool samples, perform x-rays, ultrasounds or other tests that can find the cause of the problem.
The doctor will prescribe drugs suitable for the problem diagnosed and, as such, it is essential to comply with his instructions for the animal to be well.
But then, what can you do if you see your dog vomiting white goo?
If you see your dog vomiting or specifically vomiting white foam:
don't try to stop vomiting
Just be aware and when he vomits you should remove all the possible information mentioned above in order to inform your veterinarian.
After the animal vomits, avoid giving it food and drink right away
The veterinarian may even recommend removing food and drink within 6 hours of vomiting. If the dog does not vomit during this time, it can provide small amounts of water. If your dog seems very nauseous, you can give him some rice and unseasoned chicken cooked in just water to calm his stomach. And, if he can handle this food, he can gradually introduce his usual ration.
Reduce exercise and play time
Until the cause is discovered and heart disease is suspected, it is necessary to restrict physical activity and play to small periods of time.
If the animal arrives very thirsty, let it drink a little, then remove the water and only after a few minutes to supply water again, to prevent it from ingesting a large amount at once. The same applies to food.
take to the doctor
If you haven't been to the vet yet, it's important to do so, in order to discover and treat the cause of your pet's problem. If you have already been to the vet to assess this situation, but notice that your best friend's condition is getting worse or not improving, you should come back for a re-evaluation.
vaccinate your animal
Some diseases cause vomiting with these characteristics and there are vaccines that can prevent it. Ask your veterinarian for the best vaccination protocol for your friend.
prevention measures
- Avoid sudden changes in diet
- Avoid small, easy-to-swallow toys
- Do not provide leftover food with bones
- Prevent animals from reaching the trash
- Avoid access to toxic products and plants
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.