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My dog is coughing. Is it croup or kennel cough? What are symptoms?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | spayed | 12 years and 7 months old | 6 lbs

Do dogs get croup and what are the symptoms?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 11th, 2017

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Dogs can develop a croup-like cough with viral respiratory infections such as kennel cough. While we do not specifically call this cough croup, it presents croup like. Croup is also known as laryngotracheobronchitis and kennel cough causes tracheobronchitis. If cassie has been coughing I would get her seen by your vet to have an exam done to see what the cause of the cough is. Causes range from respiratory infections, allergies, cardiac disease, cancer, etc. To rule out these possible causes, an initial exam should be performed by your vet followed by any recommended diagnostics such as chest x-rays. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. I am also available via consultation if needed.

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on September 6th, 2017

    Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While Kennel cough is possible, especially if Cassie has been exposed to other unvaccinated dogs, there are other possibilities such as a foreign body stuck in her trachea. The other possibility is that she is actually coughing and it could be something like pneumonia or other types of lung infections. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian to check for there conditions. DIagnostics would be mostly based on examination though at the very least your veterinarian would likely take radiographs of the neck region and possibly the chest. Treatment would be based on findings. Best of luck with your little girl! Will keep my fingers crossed that everything is ok with her.

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