You may have recently seen a video online of a puppy desperately fighting its first hiccup – and cutely failing.
What enchanted millions of people was rather semi-funny for the mini fur nose.
But what is behind it, if a Puppy hiccups and what can you do?
The following guide will tell you that.
In a nutshell: why does my puppy hiccup and is that normal?
Hiccups in puppies occur from swallowed air. This is especially the case before and after eating.
But also drinking too quickly – including while the dog is nursing – as well as frolicking and excitement can trigger puppy hiccups.
In all cases, there is excess air in the puppy’s stomach. This then presses on the diaphragm, which contracts and causes hiccups.
What are the most common reasons for puppies to hiccup?
The most common reason for puppies to hiccup is swallowing air – even after eating too quickly.
In addition, the following causes can trigger the puppy to hiccup often.
stress & anxiety
Stress and anxiety are pure poison for dogs of all ages – so also for puppies. Was your puppy startled by something?
Is he stressed by his surroundings because he might have to go to the vet? Then it may well be that he vents his stress with vigorous hiccups.
growth spurt
Puppies are growing – that’s not new news at all. Not only the body grows, but also the internal organs continue to develop.
It can sometimes happen that the little brat has to struggle with hiccups.
parasites/worms
Is your puppy hiccupping because he has worms? It doesn’t work at all – or does it?
In fact, canine experts disagree as to whether or not a worm infestation promotes hiccups.
neurological disease
More likely there may already be a neurological condition, although definitely not really reassuring.
After all, the nerve cells in the brain are responsible for coordinating and controlling all reflexes in an organism.
If there has been a synapse short circuit here, so to speak, conspicuous hiccups can be the result.
asthma
Hiccups are nothing more than a contraction of the diaphragm with a simultaneous closure of the glottis.
The cause is usually that air was swallowed, which should go outside again. If your puppy suffers from asthma, breathing is the linchpin here as well.
The little fur nose is already struggling to be able to breathe freely. And who knows 100% whether the diaphragm is also causing problems here?
In addition, these diseases can be triggers if a puppy has frequent hiccups:
How long does a puppy’s hiccups usually last?
Usually hiccups in puppies last only a few minutes and usually occur a few seconds apart on.
It can also happen that a puppy hiccups every second and that keeps him busy for more than half an hour.
In general, there is no reason to panic here.
And you shouldn’t, either, as it will probably make the hiccups worse rather than make them go away.
What can I do if my puppy has the hiccups?
Again, let’s reiterate your panic when your pup hiccups. Because this is something you should NOT do.
Instead, you should ensure so your little furball can relax so his little body isn’t constantly shaking from the hiccups becomes.
These things can also quickly stop puppy hiccups:
blow on
It should help if you gently and carefully blow into the neck area when he hiccups.
Good to know
Blow on a dog is in itself an absolute no-go. But if it’s supposed to help against a hiccup, let’s turn a blind eye here. 😉
breast massage
Massaging the chest lightly and gently can also help the puppy get rid of the hiccups.
Diversion
This trick should also work for us humans – replacing one stimulus with another, more exciting one.
Of course, the favorite toy is particularly suitable for puppies. Ideally, your mini fur nose will be so blown away by it that it will forget to hiccup.
Conclusion
Does your pup hiccup? Then in most cases there is no reason to go to the vet immediately.
Because the hiccups are usually over before you can finish the transport box and start the car.
Why? Because swallowing air before and after eating is almost always the trigger – or a puppy growth spurt is behind it.
With massage, light blowing and distraction, the hiccups should quickly disappear.
Can you help us with any other tips? Then we look forward to reading them in our comments soon!