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Why is my dog coughing and gagging when excited but acting normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | 2 years old | 60 lbs

Hey! Just had a question about my dog. Randomly starting yesterday evening and now into the morning my dog’s had a loud cough and gag after but is still being his normal hyper self. It seems to be happening after he gets excited though. Once he settles down and relaxes, the coughing goes away. He’s still eating and drinking fine and he slept fine. He didn’t get into anything either that would’ve gotten stuck in his throat.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 28th, 2022

Hello! This can be a sign of a problem such as a tracheal collapse, but that typically occurs in small breed dogs. I see that Joker is 45 pounds, which makes a tracheal collapse unlikely, but it doesn't sound normal that this is happening. Given that this is a new thing that hasn't happened before, I do think it's best to get him checked out by a vet to be safe. Give his vet a call today to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

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5Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Ana M, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 20th, 2018

    Thank you for submitting your question! There are two scenarios that come to mind with a small breed dog that develops a cough. The first is an upper respiratory infection. This will cause a hacking or gagging cough that can produce a white foamy material. The second is a condition known as collapsing trachea. In this case, the trachea (wind pipe) weakens and loses its shape. This results in a honking cough in the dog. Your veterinarian will be able to differentiate between the two and decide if treatment is warranted. I hope this information helps!

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    2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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