Dog coughing – what can it mean and when to see a vet?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Contact a vet today

This can have a serious cause – contact your vet today if any of the warning signs below apply, or if you are unsure. Possible causes include pulling on the lead, airway infections, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, passive smoking, BOAS, irritants, lungworm, tracheal collapse, cancer or a foreign body in the airway.

When to contact a vetWhat to do now

Contact a vet if you see any of this

  • Breathing problems
  • A coughing fit that cannot stop
  • Feeling unwell
  • Coughing for more than a few days
  • Coughing that keeps them awake at night
  • Collapse
  • Bringing up blood

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet if you are worried.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show your vet.
  4. Keep fresh water available and let your dog rest somewhere calm.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it can mean

Coughing in dogs can have many causes, some mild and some more serious.[1] An occasional cough can be normal, but regular coughing for more than a few days or seeming unwell with it should prompt contact with your vet.[1] Possible causes include pulling on the lead, airway infections, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, passive smoking, BOAS, irritants, lungworm, tracheal collapse, Westie lung, laryngeal paralysis, cancer and a foreign body in the airway.[1]

Possible causes

  • Pulling on the lead
  • Airway infections
  • Heart disease
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Passive smoking
  • BOAS
  • Irritants
  • Lungworm
  • Tracheal collapse
  • A foreign body in the airway

What the experts say

“Pulling on the lead ; Airway infections ; Heart disease ; Chronic bronchitis ; Passive smoking ; BOAS ; Irritants ; Lungworm ; Tracheal collapse ; Westie lung / Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ; Laryngeal paralysis ; Cancer ; A foreign body in the airway”

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What can cause coughing in dogs?

Possible causes include pulling on the lead, airway infections, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, passive smoking, BOAS, irritants, lungworm, tracheal collapse, Westie lung, laryngeal paralysis, cancer and a foreign body in the airway.[1]

When should I contact a vet?

Contact your vet if your dog has breathing problems, a coughing fit that cannot stop, feels unwell, has been coughing for more than a few days, is kept awake at night, collapses or brings up blood.[1]

What should I show or tell the vet?

A video of your dog coughing can help, along with how often it happens, whether it occurs more at certain times of day and whether your dog has any other symptoms.[1]

Sources

  1. PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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