If your dog is coughing, you must get medical advice from your veterinarian instead of trying to self-medicate him/her.
Michael Stone, DVM, DACVIM, associate clinical professor at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Treatment says “Not all coughs are equal, and your vet will determine what kind of medicine your dog requires. The root of the problem determines the treatment.”
Why Should I Not Give My Dog Cough Medicine?
You should have your veterinarian prescribe or recommend cough medicine for your dog because giving the wrong type will cause more harm to your dog.
Canine cough suppressants (which limit coughing) or expectorants (which empty out the lungs) may be required for your dog and they perform different functions.
According to Stone, if your dog gets pneumonia, he’ll need to clear the mucus and bacteria out of his lungs. That’s why it’s essential to get a proper diagnosis. For example, if your dog has pneumonia, you don’t want to reduce coughing, so a cough suppressant would not be used.
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When dogs cough due to heart illness, the situation is similar. According to Stone, cough suppressants might hasten heart failure, which can be fatal.
However, treating pneumonia and heart problems with medication tailored to those conditions—for example, antibiotics for pneumonia—can help your dog cough less.
A cough suppressant like dextromethorphan, on the other hand, can help with a compressed trachea. The same is true for your dog with kennel cough. However, you may be able to merely watch his cough until it goes away on its own.
According to Stone, it’s difficult to tell how effective cough suppressants are. Coughing days may be better or worse for some dogs depending on a variety of factors. Plus, there’s the constant frustration of not being able just to ask our pets how they’re feeling and get a response.
Though Stone says this isn’t frequent, vets may also recommend using a nebulizer or humidifier. The final truth is that your veterinarian is the best person to determine what medications your dog requires.
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Can I Give My Dog Human Cough Medicine?
Don’t do this. Because some products contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that might endanger your dog’s life, it’s recommended to avoid all human cough treatments.
“Any drug containing xylitol, which is widely found in cough drops, is extremely harmful to dogs,” Stone explains.
Furthermore, cough medicine dosage for dogs and people differs significantly, especially if you have a small dog. As a result, while deciding how to treat your dog’s cough, it’s best to avoid all human medications.
How To Help My Dog Who Suffers From Joint Pain
Canine arthritis affects at least 20 percent of adult dogs and is notoriously painful and debilitating. You can, however, do things at home to ease the symptoms or delay their onset.
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