Last Updated on November 22, 2021 by admins
The Yorkie coughing and gagging have many reasons, sometimes they may sound normal, other times they may be disease’s signs. If your Yorkie is gagging occasionally without any other signs, this is normal so no worries. However, if coughing and gagging occur frequently, you should go to the vet to detect the possible reason. Gagging and coughing are sometimes accompanied by Yorkies throwing up which is a painful experience. Continue reading to learn more about gagging and coughing causes. Moreover, you will go through the information on when to worry and when not to.
Table of Contents
When Yorkie Coughing And Gagging Are Normal?
Yorkie coughing and gagging sound normal in the case of senior dogs. In other words, senior dogs are vulnerable to producing more mucus than younger dogs making them susceptible to gagging. Additionally, if your Yorkie is drinking quickly or in large quantities, it may cough and gag right after drinking.
What Are The Reasons For Yorkie Coughing And Gagging?
If your Yorkie experience coughing and gagging frequently, you should worry and go to the vet to identify the cause. Coughing and gagging are symptoms of suspected underlying diseases. The following are some of the common reasons for Yorkie coughing and gagging
A Foreign Body Inside The Throat
If there is a foreign object inside the throat or mouth or esophagus, your Yorkie will cough excessively. Additionally, other signs of the presence of a foreign body include attempts to swallow and frequent lip licking.
Collapsed Trachea
The trachea is the tube that allows the air to pass into the lungs. It consists of sturdy c-shaped cartilages. Collapsed trachea is a respiratory condition in which the trachea begins to collapse leading to the inability to breathe well.
Signs of collapsed trachea include gagging, Yorkie coughing like a hairball, Yorkies throwing up, difficulty breathing, wheezing, and bluish mucous membranes. There is no known reason for collapsed trachea, however, scientists suggested it is congenital. Furthermore, Yorkies and other small dogs breeds are prone to this condition.
If you are asking “can a collapsed trachea heal itself?”, the answer is no. The condition requires medications including cough suppressants, antibiotics, sedatives, bronchodilators, and steroids. Moreover, if your Yorkie is obese, try to make it lose some pounds and keep it away from smoke or pollutants. Finally, if the condition is severe, the doctor may perform surgery to correct the dysfunction.
Kennel Cough (Bordetella)
Kennel cough is a highly infectious respiratory disease that is caused by the bordetella bacterium. The disease can spread through airborne droplets, direct contact, or contaminated surfaces such as water and food bowls. The infection spreads easily in places where a large number of dogs are there, for instance, dog shows, dog parks, or training groups.
Symptoms of kennel cough include a strong cough, lethargy, appetite loss, sneezing, runny nose, and low body temperature. There is a vaccine that your Yorkie can get to avoid the infection, however, puppies that are less than six months of age and immunocompromised dogs are at risk. The prognosis is good and treatment includes antibiotics and cough suppressants with some rest for a week or two.
Heart Disease
Senior dogs are vulnerable to heart diseases that make them suffer from a persistent cough and chronic gagging. Additionally, it suffers from fast breathing, lethargy, and a bluish tint on the tongue. If you noticed any sign of heart disease, go immediately to the vet to prescribe the appropriate medication.
Read more about Introducing A Guide To Yorkies and Seizures
Sinusitis And Rhinitis
Both refer to inflammations, sinusitis is the inflammation of nasal passages while rhinitis is the inflammation of the nose. Signs of both conditions include sneezing, appetite loss, nasal discharge that causes gagging, stuffy nose, and reverse sneezing. There are many reasons for this inflammation, for instance, parasites, fungal or viral or bacterial infections, tooth root abscesses, and some congenital abnormalities.
Furthermore, treatment is achieved by alleviating the symptoms and treating the underlying cause such as using a humidifier to loosen nasal mucus. If the cause is a bacterial infection, the vet will give your Yorkie antibiotics.
Intestinal Parasites
Roundworms are one of the most common intestinal parasites that affect puppies and adults. The puppy can get roundworms from its mother either during pregnancy or during lactation as they pass to the puppy through the milk. Additionally, the Yorkie may get the infection through ingestion of larvated eggs from the environment or eating a rodent that has the parasite.
The roundworm has the ability to migrate to the lungs of your puppy then to the capillaries in the lungs into the air sacs. The presence of the larva in the air sac will make your puppy start to cough and gag.
Learn about Yorkie Food Allergy…Symptoms and Prevention
What Should I Do If My Yorkie Is Gagging And Coughing?
First, take your puppy to the vet for a check-up to identify the underlying cause of the cough. The doctor may perform chest x-rays, an ultrasound of the heart, blood, urine, and stool tests. furthermore, make sure to give your Yorkie the medications on time in addition to following the next instructions to help treat the condition;
- Keep your Yorkie away from smoke, irritants, pollution, or dust. All these allergens will make the condition worse and exacerbate the inflammation.
- Make sure from giving your puppy enough water to keep it hydrated and prevent the airways from drying out.
- Use a humidifier to loosen nasal mucus and open the airway so it can breathe well.
- Avoid excessive physical activity or exercising and give your puppy some rest. Exessive exercising will make your puppy breathe hardly and won’t get all the benefits of the medications.
- Feed your Yorkie nutritious balanced food, it is recommended to ask your vet about the best food for your puppy depending on its condition.
Final Thoughts
Yorkie gagging and coughing are critical issues that you should be aware of their reasons especially if your dog coughs and gags frequently. Both signs occur due to many causes such as the presence of a foreign body inside the throat, heart disease, or respiratory infection, the vet will identify which one is the reason for your Yorkie. For further questions, please keep me posted in the comments below.
Next, learn about Yorkie eye discharge and what to do about it.