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My dog has a dry hacking cough. What can I give her to stop it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 5 years and 8 months old | 45 lbs

Hi, My Dog is coughing almost like in a hacking sound. Nothing is coming up. It's almost like she's trying to cough up fluids but nothing is coming up. I What can I give her to take away this cough?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Catherine Stecyk

Veterinarian

Published on May 14th, 2019

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If your dog is coughing, she should be evaluated by a veterinarian for an exam and chest x-rays at their next available appointment. She could have pneumonia, asthma, or something such as heart disease that is causing her to cough. It is important to determine why a dog is coughing before suppressing the cough, as this could worsen something like pneumonia or heart disease, which require medications such as antibiotics or diuretics, respectively. Please do not give anything like cough syrup to her, as these can contain chemicals that are toxic to dogs. I hope this is helpful!

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