Hiccups In Dogs And Cats
Hiccups in dogs and cats usually occur due to a spasm in the diaphragm, it occurs mostly in puppies. It is not usually a symptom of anything serious, although it causes a lot of discomfort for our friends.
As for the duration, the hiccups last no more than a few minutes. In cases where they become more durable, they may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea or continuous coughing. In such cases it is best to consult a veterinarian.
The appearance of hiccups in dogs and cats already occurs during pregnancy, in the mother’s womb. Little by little, and while the puppy is being formed, the lungs have to exercise to develop.
In this situation in the mother’s womb, the diaphragm is exercised through hiccups. In fact, hiccups have been generically defined as an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm.
Causes of hiccups in dogs and cats
Hiccups in dogs and cats can occur from different causes:
- Cold can cause hiccups, especially when the animals are puppies and small breeds in the case of dogs.
- If our dog or cat eats food or drinks water quickly, or hastily, he may also have hiccups.
- Similar to people, stress and nervousness, fear and anxiety are also causes of hiccups in dogs and cats.
- Stomach upsets or upsets can also cause hiccups in dogs and cats.
What is the discomfort of hiccups in dogs and cats?
In fact, hiccups don’t hurt or hurt. It is a symptom of a transient disturbance in breathing or digestive system, or a sign of something more serious.
Home Treatment for Hiccups in a Puppy
The trick of scaring a puppy with hiccups is not advisable. You have to remember that he could be in a time of tension, nervousness or stress and, in that situation, with a fright, the only thing you could do would be to make his condition worse. The best thing to get rid of a puppy’s hiccups is to distract, pet, and relax. That way he will relax and his breathing will be normal again.
What will happen to your puppy’s hiccups? Normally, he will stop having episodes of hiccups as his body develops and grows.
The best way to eliminate a puppy’s hiccups
offer food
When eating, our dogs and cats change their way of breathing. Also, something as simple as drinking water can help eliminate hiccups. Remember, the same thing happens to people.
The fright
The moment we scare our pet what happens immediately is that it sucks in an extra amount of air. This will cause the hiccup to be relieved.
To perform this homemade trick, we have to make sure the animal is calm. In animals with frequent aggressive reactions, this startle technique against hiccups would not be advisable.
The jokes
Pranks are always a good option, even if they are not fully effective against hiccups. In short, it’s about the animal being distracted, focusing on something and ignoring the hiccups.
Therefore, you can also change your pet’s breathing pattern by playing with it. This sudden change in activity and breathing helps to eliminate episodes of hiccups in dogs and cats.
the baths
Although bathing is not very popular for dogs (and even less for cats), they do help against hiccups. When we go to bathe our pet, this usually provokes rejection and, along with this resistance, comes a change of breathing, along with the fatigue caused by the interruption of its routine.
Why do hiccups occur in dogs and cats?
The main benefit of hiccups in our pets is the release of gas from the stomach along with the release of irritation. With hiccups, our partner’s organism returns to its normal condition.
Another benefit of hiccups for the body of dogs and cats is that it resolves a loss of temporal coordination between the diaphragm nerves.
the reverse hiccup
When our pet makes a series of inhalations through the nose, continuously, with noise and even with difficulty, there may be reverse hiccups. The animal thus tries to get rid of the mucus in the nose.
Although the cause of reverse hiccups in animals is not proven, it is more likely to be associated with respiratory disorders, sinusitis, etc. In any case, a visit to the veterinarian is mandatory.
