Treatment often depends on the cause of the disease.īronchitis is a term that describes inflammation of the airways called bronchi (the lower airways inside the lungs). If you don’t notice a hairball and your dog gags and coughs often, take it to a vet as soon as possible.īronchitis is a disease of the lower respiratory tract that causes coughing and other symptoms. There is no need to worry if you see a hairball after your dog coughs or gags. Some dogs care excessively about their hygiene, leading to hair accumulation in the stomach and intestines. Short-haired dogs can also have such problems, especially during intense shedding and illness, when they lose a greater amount of fur. The most at-risk dogs are breeds with long fur and those with a dense undercoat as they can easily develop hairballs (trichobezoars) that can block their digestive tract. There are usually no other symptoms associated with hairballs. When the hairballs are eliminated through vomiting, it may seem like your dog is gagging or coughing and sounds like a honking goose. In some cases, hairballs can cause gastrointestinal obstructions because they cannot pass through the digestive tract.
īut dogs rarely eliminate hairballs, unlike cats. This ends up in their digestive system and is naturally eliminated with their feces or vomited as hairballs.
Dogs lick dead hair and dirt off their bodies.