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My dog has a collapsed trachea and coughs. Are they in pain?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pomeranian | Female | spayed | 11 years and 6 months old | 4.5 lbs

Is a dog in pain when there trachael collapsed and they cough?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 26th, 2017

No, this is not really thought to be a painful condition. Uncomfortable, yes, but not painful. It is best to try to minimize the cough to keep them comfortable - you will need to get this from your vet as they are prescription medications. I hope this helps! Best wishes!

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    Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    It is always difficult to know precisely how much pain animals feel because they cannot simply tell us the answer to this question themselves. I believe there is a degree of discomfort, and considering how long the tracheal collapse has been present the surrounding tissues may be inflamed and thus painful. The cough and collapse itself will also be worrying for the dog as they will struggle to breath in a normal way. If you believe your dog Pinky has tracheal collapse I would suggest a trip to the veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment plan. I hope that this was a helpful answer!

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