As you were going about your daily routine, your Labrador Retriever suddenly started gagging. Fearing that they cannot breathe, or attempting to vomit, or something more serious has you freaked out.
Learn how to differentiate gagging from many other symptoms, and why your dog gags. Find out how to handle the situation when it occurs. Inflammation of the larynx, the Kennel cough, or something stuck in the throat is the primary causes of gagging.
Why Does Your Labrador Retriever Gag?
The gagging of your Labrador Retriever most likely occurs in conjunction with coughing. Gagging will cause your Lab to open its mouth wide and make a retching sound.
Unlike vomiting, nothing really comes out of the mouth of your lab. When your Labrador Retriever vomits repeatedly, it can also begin gagging. This is due to it not having any food in its stomach to remove.
The following are the most probable causes of gagging in Labs, although it isn’t the only cause:
| Inflammation of the larynx | Foreign Objects |
| Kennel cough | Gastric torsion |
| Motion sickness |
Should I Be Concerned About My Labrador Gagging?
Like you, your Lab may swallow incorrectly and then have coughing and gagging fit, so it does not pose a major problem.
If your Labrador Retriever is energetic, responsive, behaving normally, eating or drinking, and seems happy, you should just wait for 48 hours.
Gagging that lasts longer than this could indicate something more serious than just a mild swallowing reflex.
There may be other symptoms, such as your Labrador Retriever being nervous or anxious, having difficulty breathing, having an increased sound from his breathing, or otherwise not behaving well. Make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately.
What Can A Veterinarian Do About Your Labrador Gagging?
Depending on what is wrong with your Lab, your veterinarian will approach treatment differently. Your veterinarian will conduct a full physical examination in every case.
These tests alone can often provide an early diagnosis by the veterinarian. Sometimes, more than one diagnostic test might be necessary.
Blood and x-rays of the throat and lungs are two of the most common initial checks. Your veterinarian should examine your Lab if they think laryngeal paralysis may have occurred or if a foreign object has been swallowed. An examination of the larynx with sedation could also be needed.
What Are Some Common Causes Of Dogs Gagging?
Inflammation of the larynx
It can either be caused by a viral or bacterial infection and may be the symptom of another underlying problem. There may be a connection to disorders like tracheobronchitis, rabies, cardiovascular disease, injury, and internal tissue conditions like larynx paralysis.
The majority of these causes of laryngitis can be managed, and medical care should be sought promptly if your lab’s breathing becomes laboured.
Symptoms:
| Dry, short cough | Gagging or retching |
| Swelled larynx | Vocal changes |
| Bad Breath | Difficult and noisy breathing |
| Increased heart rate | Suffocation |
| Slowed respiration | Bluish gums |
Diagnosing laryngitis
The diagnosis of laryngitis in dogs is typically very simple. We recommend visiting a veterinarian if your Labrador Retriever is suffering from laryngitis.
A small mirror will be used by your veterinarian to inspect your Lab’s larynx and to determine whether your concern is justified.
Treatment of laryngitis
Stabilizing your Lab is the first step in the treatment of laryngitis. To accomplish this, blockages in the airways must be removed, inflammation must be reduced, and oxygen must be delivered to the body.
It may be necessary to use oxygen therapy, intubation, and respiratory support, in addition to sedation. The tracheostomy tube can be inserted into a hole in the throat if an obstruction occurs in the larynx. This will allow your Lab to breathe until the obstacle is resolved.
It is important to address the underlying cause as well as associated factors. The most common treatment option involves the use of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, often in conjunction with non-steroidal inflammation drugs and systemic antibiotics.
Fluid from the larynx and lungs may be removed with diuretic medications. Anti-inflammatory medication and bronchodilators may relieve inflammation caused by coughing.
Kennel cough
Tracheobronchitis is another possible reason for your Lab to being gagging. You might be familiar with it by its common name, kennel cough.
As a result of its infectiousness, it is often found at high rates among dogs, especially in public kennels and shelters.
Kennel cough is spread by sneezing and coughing, and it can also be spread by fabrics and pet toys. The symptoms of kennel cough are more likely to include a cough that produces white mucus.
After your Labs cough has finished, you will be able to detect the gagging, which will enable you to distinguish it from other disorders.
In the same way as chronic bronchitis, it can cause coughing fits that lead to gagging. In milder cases, a fever, lack of appetite, and fatigue may occur. In more serious cases, mucus discharge from the nose and eyes, sneezing, breathing difficulties, and possibly pneumonia may develop.
There is the possibility that your Lab will just maintain their normal mood and appetite, and make no noticeable changes and only show a cough with gagging. They still need medical care, but prevention is better.
Especially if your Labrador Retriever is in contact with several other dogs, such as at a park or in a kennel during vacations. This means you have to follow their vaccination schedule religiously.
Foreign Objects
In addition to vomiting, your Labrador Retriever might be gagging due to the presence of a foreign object. These items can become stuck in the mouth, throat, or oesophagus when swallowed.
These objects can be anything from bones to fragments, sticks to pins to plastic to toys to pieces of cloth, or, basically, anything that can pass through their throats.
Items with sharp corners can exacerbate the issue by creating tears in the throat. Hypersalivation (drooling), vomiting, fear, and scratching its mouth across objects or with its own paws as well as gagging are signs that an object is stuck in your Labrador.
A foreign object that is still in the mouth is likely to get trapped behind the tongue. If that occurs, it is fairly straightforward to remove.
If an item is lodged in the throat, it is much more difficult to remove it. It may be necessary to have them extracted by a veterinarian under anesthesia. The item will need to be treated with antibiotics if it stays within the body for a long time.
In the case of items travelling through the oesophagus, x-rays may reveal them, and they may need to be removed by endoscopy or abdominal surgery.
Stomach Dilation
Due to the possibility of death, this is the most dangerous cause of gagging in Labrador Retrievers. The sooner your Lab is diagnosed, the better. When the stomach is dilated, the following symptoms occur:
| Gastric dilation: Gas and liquid are accumulating in the stomach in this scenario, causing it to swell. |
| Gastric torsion: It is at this point that the protruding stomach changes direction on its longitudinal axis, preventing it from being drained. Consequently, the stomach contents ferment due to stomach acid, resulting in distension. The blood flow to the region is also compromised, which can result in ulceration of the stomach wall or necrosis of the wall. If this happens, your Lab will have blood poisoning and will may die. |
Any dog can develop this disorder, but bigger breeds are far more likely to do so. The underlying cause could be eating fast, drinking water too quickly, or engaging in physical activity prior to or after eating.
Symptoms Include
| Nervousness | Gagging |
| Nausea | Hypersalivation |
| Abdominal Bloat |
Touching your Lab’s stomach will make them uncomfortable, and they will sit in strange positions to alleviate the discomfort. It will be determined by an x-ray whether or not this is true distension or if torsion has occurred. If torsion has occurred, an operation is necessary.
Motion sickness
Gagging can also be caused by motion sickness in your Labrador. In fact, it is a fairly common occurrence when your lab rides in a vehicle with you. Among other things, the following can be experienced:
| Anxiety | Restlessness |
| Drooling | Nausea |
| Vomiting |
Your Vet can prescribe some medications to alleviate your Lab’s motion sickness if your dog is frequently on the road and suffers from it. So that your Labrador won’t get motion sickness, you can give them this medication beforehand.
Younger dogs are more likely to suffer from motion sickness, which can decrease with maturation.
