Dog Hacking When Excited – Why It Occurs?

Last Updated on December 11, 2021 by Griselda M.

Is dog hacking when excited a sign of a disease or a happy and exciting response toward your affection and love?

Depending on the dog’s age, hacking can have various connections. Usually, it is related to the dog’s well-being and health.

Often these symptoms will show up in elder dogs, and owners foresee them as a leading sign of health problems. If you see symptoms of hacking and gagging, it’s best to go to a vet and check out the issue.

Meantime, we will list the most common reasons that may explain this coughing behavior in your dog. So, that way you will have knowledge on how to react if you spot any symptoms.

Table of Contents

How To Spot A Dog Wheezing Or Hacking?

Often, these two terms relate to allergies. If you spot wheezing, that’s an allergic reaction symptomized with difficult breathing, check if there is shortness of breath in your dog.

Some people may also experience asthma symptoms in their dog, such as wheezing. In other words, breathing difficulties may occur. That might arise when your pet gets exposed to allergens. Try to avoid contact with other animals and go to a veterinarian appointment.

Allergic reaction in dogs might combine any of the following symptoms:

Sneezing, itchy, or red eyes.
Nasal congestion, itchy muscle, or ears.
Breathing problems such as wheezing.
Skin itchiness.

On the other hand, if your dog is hacking when excited and making sounds that look like it’s choking on something, it might be sick. Kennel cough and infectious tracheobronchitis relate to the hacking sound.

In many cases, wheezing and hacking can go away on their own. Most of the time, it’s not a severe condition, and recovering without treatment is possible. Otherwise, if it doesn’t go away for an extended time, a veterinarian appointment is necessary.

Dog Coughing and Gagging – Leading Factors

Dogs use their noses—and even their mouths—to investigate the environment. Your dog is exposed to different substances daily, including dust, pathogens, and the occasional grass stem.

All these activities can produce coughing, making it difficult to tell if your dog’s cough is severe or just clearing its throat.

Coughing is a common occurrence in dogs and is not a reason for concern. On the other hand, chronic coughing might indicate a more severe condition, and it’s related to a change in breathing sounds and patterns.

1. Collapsing trachea in dogs

Collapsing the trachea is a prevalent health problem that affects dogs. It’s a genetic condition in which the trachea’s supporting components aren’t as solid as they should be.

A tracheal collapse can occur in various instances, such as when a dog becomes very enthusiastic, causing the dog to cough and choke.

Small-breed dogs, such as Chihuahuas, are more prone to tracheal collapse. It may happen at any age, although it is more likely after a dog reaches the age of six to seven.

You may observe that dogs with tracheal collapse have persistent, intermittent coughing, which may get worse when the dog gets aroused.

2. Reverse sneezing dogs

The cause of coughing might be a condition known as reverse sneezing. It symptomizes with the dog stretching its head and neck. Then begins to breathe repeatedly via its nose. When they do that, a “snorkeling” sound is made, every time the dog inhales.

Reverse sneezing occurs most frequently when a dog is enthusiastic about your sighting. But, it can also happen when your dog is eating, drinking, or running. While it may appear frightening, reverse sneezing is rarely harmful to a dog.

3. Kennel cough – infection-causing dog coughing

Respiratory illnesses like kennel cough might occur. That is more likely to happen around many dogs, such as a dog park or a kennel.

A dog with kennel cough will develop harsh coughs, as well as other respiratory symptoms. Such as runny nose, sneezing, and a mild temperature.

Chronic bronchitis, which causes inflammation along the airway, is another issue that your dog might have.

It is much more difficult for dogs to breathe because of this, especially when they are enthusiastic. Dry cough can be a leading symptom of bronchitis in dogs.

Symptoms and causes of dog coughing

One of the symptoms of tracheal collapse is a honking cough that sounds like a goose. Other symptoms for a dog coughing disease can be a deep and dry canine cough.

Usually, “Canine cough” disease is developed by a highly contagious virus or bacteria. If not treated on time can induce lung pneumonia or even chronic bronchitis.

If you spot a wet and moist cough in your dog, then they for sure have some lung problems. In other words, the gargling sound that your dog produces is by the mucus in their lungs. That needs instant veterinarian appointment because the breathing of your dog can be at risk.

The worst cough that your dog might develop is the one induced by heart disease. Usually, when the heart isn’t working as needed, fluids may build up in the lungs. If your dog is sleeping and you spot extensive coughing, take it as a severe symptom and take it to a veterinarian appointment.

Dog Coughing – Medication And Treating

Coughing is frequently easily fixable in dogs. However, before your veterinarian can treat your dog’s cough, they must first determine what is causing it.

A mix of tests and clinical signs need to be examined by veterinarians to make a diagnosis. To figure out what’s troubling your dog, your veterinarian will undertake a physical check. Listening to his heart and lungs and taking his temperature are the core diagnostic tests.

Once your vet has identified the underlying reason, he will explain a treatment plan. Tailored to your dog’s specific needs and addresses both the coughing and underlying cause of the disease.

Learn more about Chihuahua Coughing Like Hairball Stuck In Throat? Here’s Why.

When is the right time to react if you spot a dog cough?

You should always contact your veterinarian if your dog is hacking or coughing when excited.

The sooner you take your dog to the veterinarian, the sooner he’ll be on his way to feeling well. Early detection of a cough can help your dog’s prognosis, especially with life-threatening conditions including heartworm disease, distemper, and heart disease.

Conclusion

So, a dog hacking when excited can relate to a higher breathing rate. Dopamine and other hormones are released when they recognize you. So, a higher oxygen intake will happen. That way, if your dog has some infection in its airways, wheezing and hacking will occur.

Usually, these symptoms will last for a short time. However, a veterinarian appointment and health check are mandatory for the sake of your dog’s health and well-being.

Feel free to discuss in the comment section about this topic. Tell us about your experience with wheezing and hacking sounds in your dog.