If Waldi has a hiccup, there is usually nothing serious behind it. Unpleasant it is for the fluffy friend nevertheless. What you can do to help your four-legged friend, read here.
Dog has hiccups: info in brief
hiccups is caused by a Twitching in the diaphragm Causes. Irregular breathing often leads to diaphragmatic twitching. In this case, the stomach Gases free. If the dog has hiccups, anything that changes the breathing can help.
Causes of hiccups in dogs
Basically, hiccups in animals have their uses: Similar to burping hiccups release gases from the stomach. It also prevents water from entering the lungs. From an anatomical point of view, it is irregular twitching of the diaphragm. A small hiccup then becomes a hiccup.
Normally it goes away by itself after a few minutes. The following reasons can cause hiccups:
Hasty eating or drinking: Uncontrolled and irregular breathing causes a hiccup Stress, nervousness and anxiety: Hectic breathing irritates the diaphragm. Stomach problems and too much gas in the stomach
What helps? Home remedies for hiccups in dogs
If the dog has hiccups, everything helps that changes the breathing of the animal. Whether a scare or relaxation – what exactly really helps varies from animal to animal. The following measures may be helpful:
Feeding
When eating or drinking, the animal's breathing changes. In addition, the dog is distracted. Usually the hiccups go away very quickly when the dog eats.
fright
What helps in humans is not wrong for animals: frightening is the best medicine for hiccups. The shock causes the dog to draw in air briefly and violently. This striking change in the breathing rhythm makes the hiccup forgotten very quickly.
Playing / distracting
Pull out Bello's favorite toy and distract him: Run after the beloved ball a few times – and his breathing is back to its old self.
Bathing
Bathing is also a proven home remedy for hiccuping dogs. Especially if Fiffi is not a fan of it. Usually, bathing at least leads to internal rejection and resistance in the animal. This shifts the focus: the dog no longer concentrates on the hiccup, but on its resistance. This has a regulating effect.
Hiccups in puppies have other reasons
You have been lucky enough to raise a puppy before? Then you know that especially young, small dogs often suffer from hiccups – even during sleep. It is not proven.
it is said that hiccups in puppies are comparable to growing pains in humans. So if the puppy has a hiccup, it is just acutely in growth.