What Causes Hiccups in Dogs?

Dogs, like humans, can experience hiccups. Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm and can be beneficial in relieving gas. This occurs most frequently during the puppy stage. There is no reason to be alarmed when your dog begins to hiccup---so running to the vet is not necessary. Hiccups in dogs can occur in a rapid succession or with long breaks in between. There are many causes of hiccups in dogs and hiccups are usually outgrown as they age.

  1. Eating Too Quickly

    • When a dog eats or drinks water too fast, the hasty gulping and the excess air it is swallowing may cause it to hiccup. On occasion, a dog may be hiccupping as a reaction to something in its diet. If you notice that your dog is eating at a reasonable pace, but is still developing hiccups often, try changing its food to see if that's the culprit.

    Stress

    • Nervousness and fatigue can give rise to hiccups in your pup. Excitement is also another suspected cause---although dogs have reverse hiccups because of excitement more often than regular hiccups. Reverse hiccups are often mistaken as regular hiccups; they are the result of your dog breathing in quickly and rapidly through its nose. If your dog is stressed about something---perhaps a visit to the vet, a new family member or because it's exhausted---this can be an indicator of what is causing the hiccups.

    Other Possible Causes

    • If you notice that your dog has frequent bouts of hiccups and cannot find or eliminate the cause, you may want to then seek veterinary help. While in most cases the hiccups are outgrown, hiccups can sometimes be indicators of serious illness is dogs. Respiratory defect or illness such as asthma, pneumonia, pericarditis and stroke may cause hiccups. Hypothermia may also give rise to hiccups in dogs and is a cause that should be considered if you are in a cold environment. If you feel that your dog's hiccups may point to a more serious cause, you must closely monitor them. In the case of suspected hypothermia, you must warm the dog immediately to elevate its body temperature. Otherwise, give the situation some time and keep record of the time of day and how often your dog experiences the hiccups. Remember to record whether the dog has just eaten (and what it has eaten) and what activity or situation preceded the onset of the hiccups.