What Makes a Dog Cough & Throw Up?

Canines will cough for many different reasons. Coughs are caused by an irritant in the canine's airway and can cause the dog to vomit as well. Being a good pet owner and finding out the underlying cause of the cough is very important. In some situations, it could mean life or death for your animal.

  1. Round Worms

    • Keep your cannine healthy instead of coughing and sick.

      Round worms are found in the intestinal tract of a dog. The worms are contracted by a dog licking contaminated soil or by being born to a mother with a round worm infestation. After swallowing the eggs, the round worms hatch in the dog's intestinal tract and will crawl upwards. As the worms come into the wind pipe, the dog will cough and possibly gag and vomit.

    Stomach Ulcer

    • Stomach ulcers cause bleeding that regurgitates into the dog's throat and makes her cough. When the dog is coughing, she also may gag and vomit. When the dog vomits, there will be bright colored blood or what appears to be coffee grounds in the vomit. These symptoms will be what the veterinarian needs to know to diagnose a stomach ulcer. Stomach ulcers can be caused by stress, over-the-counter medications or cancer.

    Heartworms

    • A chronic cough also is a common sign of heartworms in a dog. This happens as the adult worms grow and eventually block the dog's lungs. As the dog is coughing, he will throw up a clear, frothy liquid. There are several types of treatment for heartworms.

    Kennel Cough

    • A cough that is caused by bacteria or viral diseases is called kennel cough. The dog will have a cough that results in throwing up and usually happens after he eats. This is similar to the flu in humans. It often is caught when a dog has been boarded with other dogs. There is a vaccination, but it is not 100 percent effective.

    Heart Issues

    • Heart problems in dogs cause a cough that happens mostly at night. There is enlargement in the heart that causes pressure on the lungs, which creates pressure through the airways. The dog reacts by coughing. As the pressure builds, so does the coughing. The dog will gag and throw up as the coughing gets worse. A veterinarian can determine if there is heart disease by a chest X-ray.