Why is My Dog Dry Heaving but Acting Normal? Possible Causes and Treatment!

Have you seen or heard your dog dry heaving but otherwise acting normal? You may have asked, “Why is my dog dry heaving but not throwing up? Are they okay? Were they ill? In danger? Is it a symptom of something worse? Or something alarming? Should you run to the vet if it ever happens again?”

Your questions and worries are valid. Because our pets are a source of joy and entertainment, their funny antics and cute faces brighten our day. So, whenever there’s a sign of illness, we become concerned. We try to find ways to relieve them — even the smallest or simplest signs like dry heaving.

And no, you should never ignore things just because your dog is acting okay now. So, what’s happening? Why is your dog dry heaving but acting normal? What’s causing it? What should you do?

There are several reasons why your dog may dry heave.

Before you scroll down to a more in-depth answer of this guide, check out:  Why is My Puppy Dry Heaving? (2023).

1. Canine Esophageal Foreign Body / Object Stuck in Throat

It happens when there’s an object stuck in your dog’s throat, like small pieces of bones, chew toys, and pet toys. Dry heaving is your dog’s automatic response to get the object unstuck, either to vomit or to digest it. It answers your question, “Why is my dog coughing like something is stuck in his throat?”

How Should You Know How This Is the Cause of Dry Heaving?

When there’s something stuck in your dog’s throat or esophagus, dry heaving comes with these other symptoms:

• Gagging
• Salivating that is frothy and white
• Pawing their mouths
• Gulping movements
• Regurgitating food after eating them
• Smelling rancid around the mouth
• Lacking the desire to eat
• Drinking frequently
• Coughing
• Swallowing difficulty, especially with solids and semi-solids

If not resolved, the development of general illnesses indicates worsening conditions. The inability to bend the neck, high temperature, and depression are some of the diseases that may develop, especially if the esophagus gets torn.

2. Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV)

Also known as bloating, gastric dilatation and volvulus happens when there’s gas trapped in the stomach, which causes it to expand and twist. Then it blocks the entrance and exit and cuts off blood circulation in the digestive system.

If they have GDV, your dog keeps dry heaving to find relief. Your dog wants to pass gas and dry heaves to make it happen.

How Should You Know How This Is the Cause of Dry Heaving?

If your dog has developed gastric dilatation and volvulus, you may also be noticing the following signs:

• Abdomen enlarges
• Breathing becomes rapid or shallow.
• Body temperature decreases (cold)
• Pales nose or gum
• Exhibits anxious behavior like restlessness and pacing
• Salivating excessively
• Heart rate increases
• Attempts to vomit but is unsuccessful
• Shock
• Collapse

If you observe many of those signs simultaneously, immediate veterinary care is your best response.

3. Kennel Cough

Kennel cough is a highly contagious, easily transferable respiratory disease. It is better known as infectious tracheobronchitis or canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD). It happens because your dog caught the bordetella bronchiseptica bacterium.

Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center also identified viruses like adenovirus and parainfluenza virus as possible reasons for this disease.

How Should You Know How This Is the Cause of Dry Heaving?

Your dog will be experiencing the following if they have kennel cough:

• The cough sounds like a goose’s honk
• Depressed behavior
• Lethargic
• Loss of appetite
• Loud coughing
• Runny eyes and nose
• Swollen tonsil
• Wheezing

4. Tonsillitis or Pharyngitis

Tonsillitis and pharyngitis are inflammation in your dog’s tonsils and pharynx, respectively. When any of these two organs are inflamed, they also swell. And this swelling interferes with their breathing. It also triggers their gag reflex, thus the dry heaving.

How Should You Know How This Is the Cause of Dry Heaving?

If your dog has tonsillitis, these are the other symptoms to watch for:

•  Soft and short coughing
• Mucus in coughing expulsions
• Poor appetite
• Salivating
• Swallowing difficulty
• Lacking energy or enthusiasm
• Noisy, high-pitched breathing

If your dog has pharyngitis, these are the other symptoms to note:

• Dry cough
• Absence of barks
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Reduce appetite
• Weight loss
• Vomiting
• Drooling
• Fever
• Swollen gums
• Smelly breath
• Sneezing

5. Tumor in the Throat

A tumor in the throat is the kind of obstruction in the throat for your dog. Unlike the canine esophageal foreign body, it’s not something foreign stuck in their throat, but an internal blockage. This includes chondrosarcoma (throat cancer) and leiomyosarcomas (esophageal tumors).

The reason tumors cause dry heaving in a dog is its ability to obstruct the air passage. Dry heaving happens as the tumor interferes with your dog’s breathing. Fortunately, throat cancers and tumors are rare cases.

How Should You Know How This Is the Cause of Dry Heaving?

Immediate treatment is vital if your dog has a tumor in their throat, so watch out for these symptoms:

• Labored breathing when inhaling
• Noisy, high-pitched breathing
• Hoarse bark
• Change or loss of bark’s voice.
• Coughing
• Blood in the cough
• Poor stamina during exercise
• Bluish mucus membranes
• Swallowing difficulty
• Food ingestion difficulty
• Sudden collapsing

But My Dog Is Acting Normal, Is This Dangerous?

If your dog is still in the early stage of any illness, it may be acting normally as the complication has not worsened yet. Or dry heaving is caused by tonsillitis, pharyngitis, or kennel cough.

Depending on the symptoms, the fatality rate varies, especially if left untreated. Of the causes mentioned above, kennel cough and tonsillitis or pharyngitis aren’t as dangerous.

Unless these diseases turn to something worse, like pneumonia or kennel cough, they’ll recover in no time with the help of strict adherence to a medication schedule, healthy meals, and daily exercises.

But their health may decline if there’s no immediate treatment provided for the cases of canine esophageal foreign body, gastric dilatation and volvulus, and tumor in the throat.

What Is the Treatment for These Causes?

To help your dog regain its health, here are the treatments:

Canine Esophageal Foreign Body / Object Stuck in Throat

Depending on the object’s location in its throat, conduct a first aid treatment or immediately seek professional assistance.

If you can still see the object, here’s the first aid you can do:

1. Have someone open your dog’s mouth open wide carefully.
2. Ensure that the lips are over the teeth to prevent bites.
3. Another person shall hold a clean pair of tweezers, forceps, etc.
4. The person will then carefully grasp the object in the throat with the tweezer.
5. Carefully twist it until it dislodges, and remove it from the mouth.

If you can barely see the object, rush your dog to the vet. They have better equipment to handle the treatment.

Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV)

The best intervention you can do if you see signs of gastric dilatation and volvulus and suspect it is to rush to your vet. GDV is life-threatening and can immediately lead to death within hours of development. Only veterinary intervention can treat this disease.

Kennel Cough

With kennel cough, your dog will heal and recover in two weeks. But as this is a contagious disease, isolate your dog from your other dogs and pets. Kennel cough tends to go away as time passes, primarily with proper rest and nutrition.

But veterinarian-prescribed medicines can hasten the recovery and prevent kennel cough from becoming pneumonia. Antibiotics for infection and cough medication are the standard drug treatments.

You can also aid the antibiotics with home remedies and management. Here are some of them:

• Adding honey to their warm water.
• Boosting their immune system with holistically made, dog-friendly antioxidants.
• Giving them steam therapy.
• Keeping your home free from irritants like cigarette smokes and dust.
• Use a harness instead of a collar when out for a walk.

Tonsillitis or Pharyngitis

As bacteria cause tonsillitis and pharyngitis, the best treatment for your dog is drugs. Prescriptions are usually antibacterial medications and anti-inflammatory drugs. So, if you observe tonsillitis or pharyngitis, seek your veterinarian’s direction. Of course, they pair their medications with a healthy diet and water.

Here are also other things you can do to boost your dog’s recovery from tonsillitis or pharyngitis:

• Let your dog drink warm water with salt in it. One tablespoon to one cup is the best ratio. Alternatively, herbs with anti-inflammatory properties, like sage and chamomile, are also great.
• Give a small dose of honey or coconut oil to soothe their throats three times a day.
• Avoid further irritating your dog’s throat by keeping your home free from irritants.
• Let your dog rest, and avoid them exerting too much effort from work and play.
• Opt to use a harness instead of collars to avoid friction in your dog’s throat.

Throat Tumor

As this is a tumor, only veterinarian treatment can completely heal your dog. Treatment may vary depending on the types of tumors, their size, and their spread. Radiation therapy is the best intervention for malignant tumors, but it has its limitations too.

On the other hand, there are two treatments for benign tumors. One is administering a drug called avermectins — but only if it isn’t cancerous. The other method is surgical removal if benign tumors become cancerous.

While your dog is still recovering, the best home assistance you can give them is the following:

• A quiet and peaceful resting area.
• Feeding them special food that adheres to their dietary needs and restrictions.
• Administering pain relief and antibiotics medications as instructed.
• Keeping their food and water near their bedding area.
• Keep your dog’s outdoor trips for bladder and bowel activities brief and convenient.
• Minimize their discomfort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion for “Why is My Dog Dry Heaving but Acting Normal”

There are many causes of your retching dog, but only one is correct. So, the best action when your dog is dry heaving is to go to your vet. They may be acting normal, and you may suspect kennel cough is right.

But there’s still a risk that other more dangerous causes may be the reason for the retching. It’s better to seek help now and avoid worse complications and more expensive veterinary bills. So, when you ask yourself, “When should I be concerned about my dog dry heaving,” it should be every time.

If you find this guide, “Why is My Dog Dry Heaving but Acting Normal,” helpful, check out:

• My Dog Keeps Swallowing: What Does This Mean? (2023)
• Dog Has Diarrhea After Surgery – Vet Advice! (2023)

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