Anything that irritates the air passages causes sneezing and coughs. The cause can be anything from a foreign substance to an infection or even a medical condition like tuberculosis.

Coughing by itself is self-perpetuating and causes dryness in the throat, which in turn causes more coughing. Coughs may occur in spells and abruptly or may even be chronic. Coughs are also classified as dry, moist, wheezy, choking and weak.

Dog coughing is a problem that pet owners face every now and then. However, since there are various causes of canine cough it becomes difficult to pin point the exact reason for the coughing bouts that your dog might be experiencing. Sometimes, it helps to keep a note of how and when the dog coughs to establish the real cause behind the condition.

Coughing when the dog is resting may indicate problems with heart function, trachea and lungs. On the other hand coughing when excited or while drinking water indicates irritation in the trachea. A problem with the voice box (larynx) or esophagus usually leads the dog to cough during or after meals. An overweight small dog whose cough sounds like a goose is a symptom of tracheal collapse.