Why Do Dogs Get Hiccups?

Have you ever seen your dog get hiccups? Just like human beings, dogs can experience hiccups. When you see them, it often makes a funny and adorable scenario. Dogs getting hiccups is a common incident and is mostly harmless.

So, the question is, how do dogs get hiccups? Hiccups occur when your dog’s diaphragm contracts involuntarily. Stress, excitement, or eating and drinking too fast can trigger this situation. These spasms occur for some time and eventually pass after a while.

If you are worried and want to know how you can help your dog get rid of hiccups, this is the perfect blog. Here, we will discuss why your dogs get hiccups and how you can calm them down. Let’s begin:

1. Anxiety, fear, or stress.

Stress and fatigue are common causes of hiccups in dogs. When your puppy is introduced to an unfamiliar place or situation, it can spite a breathing irregularity. Separation anxiety or loud noises like thunderstorms or fireworks can trigger this situation as well.

Your dog may also start hiccuping when you take it to vet visits, meet new people or animals, or encounter unfamiliar objects. Spotting dog anxiety symptoms and measures to calm it down can help your dog get rid of hiccups.

2. Excitement.

Dogs can get easily excited whenever they come across a desirable situation. Once excited, dogs often breathe more quickly, and their heart rate increases. This might affect your dog’s diaphragm, which can result in hiccups.

Excitement can also make your dog eat or drink faster. They may even swallow air while barking or playing. As a result, their diaphragm muscle may be affected. This can also result in “reverse hiccups,” determined by loud, involuntary breaths through the nose. 

In such cases, speak softly and gently pet your dog to calm it down. If hiccups occur during playtime, try to slow down the pace of activities and take breaks to let your pet catch its breath.

3. Overexertion

Hiccups can also be linked to physical activities and breathing patterns. When your dog is engaged in intense physical activity, they tend to breathe more rapidly. This is especially true for hot, humid days.

Dark-coated and brachycephalic dogs (dog breeds with flat faces and short muzzles) are mainly prone to hiccups due to overexertion. Allow your dog to rest and recover after intense exercise. Give your dog plenty of water to drink to relax its diaphragm. 

You should gradually increase your dog’s exercise routine to prevent overexertion. This will help their body adjust and reduce the likelihood of hiccups.

4. Specific health conditions.

If you see your pup is constantly getting hiccups on a regular basis, there might be some underlying sickness causing this. Generally, sickness of breathing organs like Pneumonia, Asthma, Bronchitis, etc., may cause lingering hiccups in your dog.

Additionally, gastrointestinal problems like nausea, indigestion, and gastroesophageal reflux disease irritate the diaphragm and cause hiccups. Heart conditions affecting respiratory distress, heatstroke, and even swallowing foreign bodies may be a cause for your dog getting hiccups.

If hiccups or reverse hiccups persist over a long period, it is recommended to take your dog to the vet. Sometimes, your dog may show other symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, vomiting, or diarrhea. These could be signs of a more serious underlying condition requiring medical attention.

Do All Puppies Get Hiccups a Lot?

Hiccups are more common in puppies than adult dogs. They have higher energy levels and tend to get excited more about playing, eating, or drinking. Their internal organs and systems are still in the development stages. Therefore, they tend to get hiccups more. Constantly running around or moving may cause rapid breathing in puppies, triggering hiccups.

Why Do Dogs Get Hiccups When Sleeping?

Hiccups while sleeping are another strange phenomenon seen in both adult dogs and puppies. These uncontrollable diaphragm spasms are often caused by stress or fatigue. 

Your pet dog can even get excited when it dreams, which can affect its breathing. Dogs usually dream during the REM stage of sleep, during which they may move physically and breathe heavily, causing a sudden irritation of the diaphragm muscle.

What Should You Do When Your Dog Hiccups?

Now that you know why do puppies get hiccups a lot, there are some things you can do to help him get rid of it. A hiccupping spell would typically last only a few minutes, but if you start to get worried, here are some things you can try:

1. Help Your Dog Relax

A common remedy for human hiccups is to surprise the person. The same can be done with your dog. However, make sure not to frighten your dog while surprising it.

The best thing you can do is try to calm your dog down from a state of hyperexcitation. Give it gentle rubs and talk in a soothing tone to make it breathe regularly. You can also apply the same calming methods when your dog is anxious from fireworks or loud sounds.

2. Offer Water

Drinking water is another human remedy for hiccups that works for dogs as well. Give your beloved pet some drinking water when it is hiccupping for a while.

Remember, gulping water down can also trigger the same situation. Therefore, make sure your dog is drinking slowly and in small quantities to give his airway a chance to clear up. 

3. Sweet Treats

Having a distraction works wonders when it comes to getting rid of hiccups. Give your pet something sweet to distract from hiccups. This might be the trick to give your dog relief from its irritated diaphragm.

A taste of honey, maple syrup, Karo syrup, or any sweet liquid can be used to help your dog relax. This will help it relax its breathing by soothing its throat and air passages. A pinch of sugar diluted in water may also do the trick.

4. Chest Massage

Giving your dog a chest massage can significantly calm it down. So, if your dog is having a hiccup, have it roll over and rub its chest and belly area. 

Rubbing for a few minutes can effectively make your dog calm down and get rid of its irritated diaphragm. Chest rubs also help your dog improve its position.

5. Distract It With Games

Your dog’s hiccups don’t always mean it is suffering from a health problem. Sometimes, you just need it to distract you by playing. 

Light exercise can help your dog’s breathing return to normal. As long as you avoid exhausting activities that can further compromise breathing, it is a very effective method for getting rid of your pet’s hiccup.

6. Take Your Dog for a Walk

If your dog or puppy cannot stop hiccuping, go out for a walk with it. Walks help your dog to improve its breathing and heart rate.

Exposure to different outdoor sights, smells, and sounds effectively distracts your pup. It may stop hiccuping once you walk with it before either of you know it.

7. Feeding Adjustments

It is common for dogs to get hiccups when they gobble their food. Adjustment to your dog’s feeding schedule can be a good solution in this situation.

You can reduce the amount of food you give your dog each time by increasing the feeding frequency. Your pet’s diet might be another reason to get hiccups. While high-grain food can cause hiccups in canines, you can experiment by giving it a low-grain diet to see improvements.

Final Words

Generally speaking, hiccups in dogs are very common and often are not a thing to get alarmed. As you identify why your puppy is getting hiccups, you can take helpful measures to get rid of them as well. 

However, if the hiccups occur more often or are accompanied by other symptoms of a respiratory or gastrointestinal problem, there might be a more severe problem. In such cases, consult your veterinarian immediately to ensure your pet’s best health.