Whether it's a puppy or an adult four-legged friend – dogs can hiccup just like humans. You may be wondering if this is dangerous and whether you should be concerned.
Below we explain where hiccups in dogs come from, what you can do about it and when you should consider taking your four-legged friend to a veterinarian.
Just like you, your dog will hiccup when the diaphragm spasms. The diaphragm is a flat muscle located between the thoracic and abdominal cavities.
The diaphragm has, among other things, an influence on breathing. Its sudden cramping is caused by mostly harmless irritation of the diaphragmatic nerve.
Puppies tend to have more hiccups than adult dogs. This is mainly due to the fact that they swallow air more frequently. This can happen, for example, while suckling, romping around or out of sheer excitement about an exciting discovery.
You are certainly well aware that puppies are particularly energetic and enthusiastic. Accordingly, there are numerous opportunities for the small four-legged friends to swallow air.
It is therefore not uncommon for your puppy to hiccup often. As long as it stops soon and the animal is otherwise fine, you don't need to worry about it.
Although hiccups in dogs are usually completely harmless, they can be quite annoying for the animals. They will certainly be grateful if you do something about it.
There is a widespread belief that hiccups in dogs can be caused by worms. It is of course quite possible that your four-legged friend suffers from a worm infestation and needs deworming. However, there is no direct connection between the parasites and the fact that your dog has the hiccups.
In rare cases, hiccups in dogs can be a sign of illness. If your dog has the hiccups all the time and you notice other abnormalities, a visit to the veterinarian is advisable.
Occasionally, hiccups in dogs can also be the symptom of poisoning or heat stroke. Please note that both are medical emergencies that require immediate treatment.
If your dog keeps hiccuping and you have the impression that the four-legged friend might be ill, you should of course contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Which methods are used for diagnosis depends in particular on the symptoms that occur alongside the hiccups and the veterinarian's conclusions based on them.
Neurological examinations, imaging procedures or even blood tests may be necessary to determine which disease is responsible for triggering your dog's symptoms.
The same applies to treatment. Depending on the diagnosis, different measures may be necessary. For example, asthma is obviously treated differently than pancreatitis or an inflamed stomach lining in your dog.
You will not be able to completely avoid hiccups in your dog. However, there are some things you can do to reduce the likelihood of them happening.
As you can see, in the vast majority of cases your dog's hiccups are nothing to worry about. Puppies in particular hiccup a lot. Usually this is completely harmless. If necessary, you can help your dog with hiccups with simple methods.
Fortunately, diseases are rarely responsible for the hiccups. Depending on the frequency and other symptoms, you should nevertheless keep this possibility in mind if your dog hiccups very often.
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