DrBarchas.com is a free resource for people with pets. Searchable articles are available on diseases, behavior, symptoms, and medical treatments for dogs and cats.
Healthy dogs occasionally cough due to transient irritation from environmental contaminants such as dust or fumes. However, persistent coughing at a higher than normal frequency has many potential causes.
More common causes are listed first. Less common causes are listed later.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic related to tetracycline. It is effective against a variety of organisms, and is often used to treat bacterial infections. It is the antibiotic of choice for many diseases (such as Lyme disease) that are spread by ticks and some diseases caused by organisms known as Mycoplasma. It is commonly employed in the treatment of respiratory infections and fever of unknown origin in cats.
Lactulose is a very effective laxative that is commonly used in veterinary medicine. It is frequently used in the treatment and prevention of constipation in pets.
Lactulose also is used to treat some types of liver disease.
Lactulose is available as a liquid suspension for oral administration. Lactulose may be administered as an enema by veterinarians.
Adult cats and dogs
Dental disease is by far the most common major health problem of cats and dogs. Despite its name, dental disease does not merely affect the teeth and mouth. Dental disease impacts the entire body, with serious consequences for health, longevity, and well-being.
Scratching and licking the skin generally have similar causes. Excessively licking the skin is a way of scratching the skin. Skin irritation leading to itching is responsible for most instances of excessive licking and scratching.
A certain level of scratching or licking is considered normal in all animals. Also, both cats and dogs groom themselves with their tongues. Therefore, it is important to determine whether your pet is scratching or licking excessively, or whether he or she is engaging in normal behavior.
Dogs
Diabetes mellitus (known simply as diabetes) is a serious disease of dogs. The main characteristic of diabetes is an inability to control the level of sugar in the blood. This leads to chronically high blood sugar levels, which in turn lead to the symptoms of the disease.
Management of diabetes in dogs is challenging but possible. With proper treatment, many diabetic dogs lead essentially normal lives. However, without treatment the disease inevitably leads to serious complications.
Foaming at the mouth and drooling have similar causes. Most cases of foaming or frothing at the mouth simply involve drooling combined with panting (cats, dogs) or rapid breathing. Drooling is also known as hypersalivation.
More common causes are listed first. Less common causes are listed later.
Primarily dogs; rarely cats
Marijuana intoxication may occur in pets that have access to marijuana plants, dried portions of the plants, or foodstuffs containing marijuana.
Diarrhea is an extremely common problem in both cats and dogs. Mild, transient diarrhea rarely is a cause for concern. Severe or chronic diarrhea is often caused by major medical conditions, and can be damaging to a pet’s health in its own right.
More common causes are listed first. Less common causes are listed later.
Cats and dogs.