Dog Hiccups

What causes dog hiccups.

Dog hiccups. Hiccups are caused by a disruption in the breathing pattern so severe hiccups can be a sign of a respiratory problem. Symptoms are caused by diaphragm spasms triggered by excitement eating too fast irritants or stress. Dog hiccups are so common some veterinarians think that they can be a part of the laundry list of growing pains some puppies must endure.

This will usually not be a problem for a dog they may not even notice that they are hiccupping. This is the muscle situated between the chest and abdomen that is designed to make it easy to breathe. As with any scenario a change in a dogs normal health status should be evaluated by a trusted veterinarian.

If the nerves are immature as in puppies or are irritated as in adults hiccups occur. The glottis closes during swallowing to prevent the entry of food and liquid into the windpipe or the trachea. Eating quickly excitement stress or excessive barking can cause hiccups in dogs.

Puppies are more hyperactive and tend to be more playful and excited whether during playtime or eating and this makes them more prone to hiccups. Such issues include asthma pneumonia pericarditis stroke hypothermia and heatstroke. The innervation runs through the neck and inner organs to the diaphragm and assists in breathing.

A Persistent Hiccup which runs for longer possibly hours days or even weeks off and on. If your dogs hiccups occur frequently or last longer than an hour they could be a sign of something more serious. An episode of dog hiccups may be brief but may also last for several minutes to hours.

Dog hiccups occur as a result of a spasm in the diaphragm. On the more serious side dog hiccups are sometimes caused by underlying medical conditions. Dog hiccups are common and every dog will experience hiccups at some pointHiccups are more common in puppies.