There are many causes for a dry cough in dogs, and some can potentially be very serious. Most dogs will cough periodically, or will make that strange reverse sneezing noise, but prolonged coughing or coughing that occur only at certain times of the day may be indicative of disease. These dogs need to be brought to a veterinarian. A dry cough in dogs is often describe as almost a honking sound.
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Dry vs. Productive Cough
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A dry cough is one where the dog does not cough up mucus or fluid from the lungs. Watch your dog to see if it swallows after coughing; if it does, it is a productive cough, not a dry cough.
Causes
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Numerous ailments have dry cough as a symptom, including distemper, kennel cough, parasites, compressed large airways (such as in tracheal collapse or cardiac enlargement), tonsillitis and allergies.
Diagnostic Tools
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Your veterinarian will most likely X-ray your dog's chest and possibly throat for the source of the cough. Other diagnostic tools used may include testing for parasites (if your dog's records are unavailable or incomplete) and a white blood cell count.
Diagnosing
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A diagnosis may be slow in coming because there are so many possibilities. If the X-rays are inconclusive, your veterinarian may need to try other tests or even work off of a best guess.
Treatment
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Most treatments are conservative, such as supportive care or mild medications, unless the dog has difficulty breathing.
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