Hiccups in Dogs

If you are a pet owner, you might have noticed your canine hiccuping quite often. In all mammals, hiccuping is a natural response to the irritation of the diaphragm. There is nothing alarming about hiccups and they usually tend to subside on their own. Hiccups are more prevalent in puppies than in adult dogs. This is because puppies tend to ingest gushes of air while drinking or eating. Hiccups eventually subside, when your dog grows up.

What Causes Hiccups in Dogs?

The diaphragm is responsible for hiccups in dogs, as well as all mammals. The normal function of diaphragm is pretty smooth. It bends down to let the air in, when you inhale, while it bends up, to exhale air. Whenever, the diaphragm gets irritated, this movement gets disturbed. The irritated diaphragm pulls down in a jerky way, causing your dog to inhale large amounts of air. This sudden gush of air moves the vocal cords, thereby causing your dog to make a funny hiccuping noise. Hiccups can be rapid or they may surface after long, irregular intervals.

How to Stop a Dog's Hiccups?

Basically, hiccups in dogs are pretty harmless and hardly last for more than a couple of hours. They usually go away on their own, without any intervention. However, if you find your dog particularly annoyed, due to hiccups, you may want to try out some cure for hiccups in dogs. Here are a few solutions that can relieve your dog of hiccups.

Startle Your Dog
Just as in humans, dogs also suck in air, when you startle them. This helps to change the irregular breathing pattern, due to hiccups. Thus, it can relieve your dog of hiccups. However, don't use this trick very often, else your dog will start mistrusting you. Doing this for the first time itself, will let you know, if it works for your dog or not.

Give Him Food
Give your dog something to eat or drink, so as to change the irregular pattern of breathing. Drinking water also helps to get rid of hiccups in dogs. If this does not eliminate hiccups, you'll at least have your dog distracted, so that the hiccups cease to bother him.

Play with Your Dog
This is yet another solution, but it may not stop the hiccups completely. This is only to engage your dog in something, so that he starts to ignore the hiccups. Also, some vigorous activities may change the breathing pattern of your dog and give him a relief from hiccups.

Give Him a Bath
Most dogs hate it when you give them a bath. They see it as a disturbance in their daily routine. Thus, if you try to give your dog a bath, it is very likely that he will do his best to resist it. Not only this will prove as a good distraction trick, but the resistance can exhaust your dog, thereby changing his breathing pattern. This is a good and safe option of curing dog hiccups.

As mentioned before, you have a little reason to worry about hiccups in dogs. However, if your dog gets persistent hiccups, which last for more than few hours, it may be wise to consult nearest veterinarian, for it may be a symptom of some serious disorder. Get your dog tested and treated immediately to ensure your dog's health. Also look out for changes in dog behavior or other symptoms.