The Clinical Approach to the Small Animal Patient With a Cough

Coughing is a common clinical presentation in small animal medicine, particularly in dogs. Coughing can also be confused with other clinical signs such as reverse sneezing, retching, or vomiting. The presence of a cough with a terminal retch (especially in cats) is often misinterpreted as vomiting. Once confirmed, coughing should be considered a clinical sign that is secondary to a primary disease. In some clinical situations, the underlying cause of the cough can be simple and straightforward. Other times, the etiology can be elusive, even with advanced and thorough diagnostics. For this reason, it is vital that clinicians have an understanding of the pathophysiologic causes of cough so a patient-specific diagnostic plan for identification of the underlying disease can be instituted. […]