Coughing in Cats and Dogs
When we cough, we can usually determine whether it’s a symptom we can dismiss or a sign that we might need to visit the doctor. When our pets cough, however, they can’t tell us how they feel, so it’s up to us to decide whether the cough was caused by more than just a “tickle” in their throat.
Although coughing in dogs and cats can be triggered by environmental irritants or allergies, a number of serious conditions can also be the culprit. Sometimes a quick trip to the veterinarian is necessary to determine if the underlying cause of coughing is actually harming your pet.
WHY CATS COUGH
Evelyn Hare-Martinez’s cat Klondyke woke up happy and eager to eat breakfast with the other cats in the house, but by the afternoon, the nine-year-old snowshoe cat had developed a cough. When Klondyke began to show signs of labored breathing, Evelyn and her husband, Joe Martinez, knew it was time to take him to their veterinarian, Gary Norsworthy, DVM, DABVP, of Alamo Feline Health Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The cat’s heart appeared normal on ultrasound, but a digital x-ray showed inflamed lung tissue and enlarged pulmonary arteries (the ones that lead from the heart to the lungs). Klondyke was diagnosed with a condition the Martinez family didn’t realize cats could have: heartworm disease.
CASTING OUT HEARTWORMS
Heartworms have been recognized in cats for decades, but a 2007 Auburn University study revealed that heartworm disease affects cats differently than dogs. This finding may explain why cats with heartworms can be easily misdiagnosed.
“Unlike the dog, the cat is not a natural host for heartworms,” explains Dr. Norsworthy. “A cat’s immune system knows that heartworm larvae shouldn’t be there, so it starts killing the larvae as soon as they get under the skin. Consequently, we don’t find a lot of adult heartworms in cats. Larvae that survive begin to mature and migrate to the pulmonary arteries, causing a severe inflammatory response and further stimulating the immune system to try to kill them. Those that survive to adulthood live for a year or two. When they die, they can cause pulmonary inflammation, block blood vessels, and, in some cases, cause sudden death.”
Because heartworms in cats mostly affect the lungs, they cause a specific set of symptoms that are respiratory in nature. Called heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD), these symptoms can show up 3 to 6 months after an infected mosquito has bitten a cat (when immature worms arrive in the pulmonary arteries). Besides coughing, other symptoms of HARD include difficult or rapid breathing and gagging. Sluggishness, chronic vomiting, and weight loss can also indicate heartworm disease.
Diagnosis can be challenging. Heartworm tests are recommended for cats showing signs of the disease; however, because the tests cannot always confirm the disease, additional tests may be required. A cure is not possible in cats, so treatment is aimed at reducing the inflammation that is causing the cough. In cats, even more so than in dogs, prevention is key.
Heartworm preventives, used after cats are tested for heartworms, can keep them protected against future infections. Because mosquitoes can get inside the home, even indoor-only cats should be kept on preventives.
RELIEVING ASTHMA
Another common condition, feline asthma, can also cause coughing. Triggers in the environment, such as air fresheners, cigarette smoke, and dusty cat litter, can set off an acute attack, causing spasms in the airway (bronchi) and restricting the flow of air.
Cats tend to hide the fact that they’re sick, so pet parents need to be vigilant.
One of the frustrations for veterinarians is that both HARD and feline asthma present with similar symptoms. “It is one of those diseases that is very difficult to diagnose, but we can perform some tests to give us an indication of what is going on,” says Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS, of Doylestown Animal Medical Clinic in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. “These cats will go through episodes of acute coughing. If the coughing becomes chronic, they could end up with chronic bronchitis.”
Fortunately, treatment for most cats with HARD or asthma is similar: steroids and use of bronchodilators (to open up the air passages).
OTHER CAUSES
Other common causes of coughing in cats include anything from simple hairballs to more serious conditions of the heart and lungs. Your veterinarian should check out any persistent cough lasting more than a few days.
ON THE WATCH
Cats tend to hide the fact that they’re sick, so pet parents need to be vigilant for even small signs that something is wrong. Coughing is never normal in healthy cats; however, what is abnormal for most cats might be perfectly normal for yours. Dr. Benson’s cats, for instance, breathe rapidly when they’re resting.
One of the best things cat owners can do is pay attention to how their cat appears when she is in good health. “Observe your cat at rest,” Dr. Benson suggests. “If you can determine a baseline for what your cat normally looks and acts like and how much she eats and drinks, that is key information.”
Klondyke is now on heartworm preventives, and his cough is being treated successfully with steroids, thanks to his observant owners and the diagnostic expertise of his veterinarian.
KITTEN TALK
Surprisingly, intestinal parasites such as roundworms can cause coughing in kittens. When adult roundworms and larvae migrate through the lungs, they can cause a transient cough. Deworming can rid kittens of these nasty parasites.
Kennel cough can also cause coughing in kittens (adult cats can also be infected). “Kennel cough is usually acquired in a boarding situation. It causes a dry, hacking cough and is generally diagnosed by known exposure to infected pets (both cats and dogs) and by the cough itself,” says Dr. Norsworthy. Treatment with antibiotics is usually successful.
WHY DOGS COUGH
Most coughs in dogs are not serious, but they can be signals of something more severe.
WAG YOUR TAIL AND COUGH, PLEASE
“There are characteristics to certain problems that help a veterinarian determine what is causing the cough,” explains Mary Wheat, DVM, a relief veterinarian who practices in Austin, Texas. “I ask a client when he or she first noticed the cough and when it is most prevalent. Does the dog cough all day or only when she first gets up in the morning? What does the cough sound like? Is the dog on any medications?” After taking the dog’s history, the veterinarian will do an exam, listening to the pet’s heart, lungs, and trachea and perhaps conducting further testing to determine the problem.
KENNEL COUGH
In dogs, a common cause of coughing is kennel cough, an infectious disease caused by a bacteria or virus. The dog usually has a hacking or gagging cough and was boarded or around other dogs 10 to 14 days earlier.
“Kennel cough can be highly contagious—a dog doesn’t have to be in direct contact with an infected dog to acquire the disease,” says Donald Howard, DVM, of Twin Oaks Veterinary Clinic in Salem, Oregon. “It is usually self-limiting; however, it can turn into a more serious problem, especially if it is an older pet or one who has congestive heart failure. If the cough is frequent or lasts longer than a day or two, we need to see the dog.”
There are misconceptions about kennel cough. It’s not a single disease, but rather a complex of diseases caused by bacteria and/or viruses. Current vaccinations have proven effective at reducing the incidence and severity of disease but are not foolproof due to the complexity of this syndrome. “The dog could have had the vaccine for the Bordetella form of kennel cough, but she can certainly pick up other viruses or bacterial infections,” says Dr. Howard.
If your dog has a constant or frequent cough or a cough that lasts for more than a few days, call your veterinarian. He or she can determine the cause and get your dog started on the road to recovery.
A persistent cough from kennel cough is not life-threatening, but it is certainly irritating to the dog and worrisome to her owners. Treatment can range from a cough suppressant to a course of antibiotics, depending on the severity of symptoms and ultimate cause.
HEART DISEASE
Sometimes heart disease can be the cause of a cough. This usually presents in the form of a “soft” cough—one that does not produce mucus, says Dr. Howard. “Other than the cough, there is often not a lot of indication that the dog has a major problem. The heart isn’t pushing blood around as it should, so the lungs become congested. As time goes on, the cough becomes more consistent and productive.” Coughs caused by heart disease are more common at night and usually get worse during exercise.
If heart disease is suspected, the veterinarian may take x-rays, perform an ultrasound or electrocardiogram (ECG), and take blood work. Treatment may include medications to relieve fluid congestion in the lungs and help the heart beat more efficiently.
HEARTWORMS
According to the American Heartworm Society, heartworms have now been found in dogs that are native to all 50 states. Unlike in cats, heartworms easily mature in dogs and live as adults in the pulmonary arteries and heart. Heartworm disease can be diagnosed through recognition of clinical signs, blood testing, and x-rays.
Treatment is possible depending on the stage of the disease. But Dr. Wheat reminds pet owners that the easiest way to handle heartworms is through the regular use of preventive medications. “Heartworm disease is a real threat,” she says. “It is a shame to see pets suffering from it because we have very effective preventive medications.”
FINDING RELIEF
If your dog has a constant or frequent cough or a cough that lasts for more than a few days, call your veterinarian. He or she can determine the cause and get your dog started on the road to recovery.
Other Cough Culprits in Dogs
- Allergies—Although most allergies in dogs show up as a skin irritation, they can also irritate the throat and cause a cough.
- Chronic bronchitis—Characterized by inflamed, fluid-filled airways, this condition causes a chronic dry-sounding cough.
- Collapsed trachea—Exercise or excitement can cause a collapse of incomplete or weak tracheal rings in small or overweight dogs. Coughing can also develop after a dog has pulled against her leash.
- Laryngeal paralysis—Usually occurring in older dogs, this condition can be a medical emergency that requires immediate surgery. In addition to coughing, signs include exercise intolerance, noisy breathing, and difficulty inhaling.
- Pneumonia—A dog with pneumonia may not want to eat or drink, and her cough is moist and productive.
- Roundworms—As they migrate up the windpipe from the lungs, these parasites can cause coughing.