When a dog has a collapsed trachea, they’ll cough hard until they can get enough air again, which is why you should consider getting the best cough medicine for dogs with a collapsed trachea.
The tube that makes up the trachea is made up of C-shaped rings of cartilage which is sometimes weakened in dogs. If the rings collapse it reduces the amount of air that can pass through the tube. The resulting coughing spells will often make a sound like a “honk” and they are very irritating to the throat.
Prevention and Reduction of Symptoms
Some home remedies to make the symptoms of the collapsed trachea and other breathing problems easier to tolerate include:
- Reducing irritants in the air
- Exercise
- Using a no-pull harness instead of a collar
- Cough medicine
I’ll give you a list of my recommended over-the-counter cough medicine for dogs with a collapsed trachea. However, I do recommend that you re-check the ingredient lists and talk to your vet about any concerns before using any product.
First, here’s a quick look at the best cough medicine for dogs with collapsed trachea:
Best Cough Medicine for Dogs with Collapsed Trachea
1. Pet Wellbeing Throat Gold
- ✅ BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. Are you concerned about your dog's quality of life? Outward signs of discomfort, anxiety, and stress can have a devastating impact on our pet family. We're here to help.
- ✅ SOOTHING. Our veterinarians have selected demulcent herbs known to soothe throat, trachea, and occasional cough. Formulated with Slippery Elm and Mullein leaf, rich in mucilage that helps settle pet cough and sore throat.
Pet Wellbeing Throat Gold is highly rated, is a good organic herbal medicine that is selectively imported, and is an excellent cough medicine for dogs with a collapsed trachea. It is made from ethically wild-harvested herbs from trusted growers. It has been developed to holistically support the upper respiratory tract of dogs.
The company has chosen veterinarian-recommended herbs that not only help with a cough but also support the immune system overall. This is important since dogs with collapsed trachea are often prone to other respiratory problems. Their throats can also become raw from coughing which makes them susceptible to infection.
They use a biochemical spectrum of herbs that are preserved to ensure potency and all the raw materials are carefully identified and guaranteed pure before they are made into an extract. Pet Wellbeing complies with the provisions of the CVM’s practices for pet dietary supplements. All the ingredients and the cautionary statements should be read and do adhere to national guidelines.
Ingredients: Wild Cherry, Mullein leaf, Usnea thallus, Pelargonium root, Hyssop, Slipper Elm bark, Licorice root, Skullcap Root, Ginger.
Primary Use: Herbal cough suppressant
2. Fur Goodness Sake Kennel Cough Medicine for Dogs
- Herbal formula provides cat cough relief and works for dogs too! Fast, natural solution for coughing issues in pets of all sizes. Soothes wheezing problems without expensive vet visits.
- Effective dog sneezing relief with the goodness of honey for dogs. Our tasty liquid formula eases multiple symptoms. No struggle to administer - a soothing remedy your pet will actually enjoy taking.
Fur Goodness Sake Kennel Cough Medicine is an organic cough medicine for colds, allergies, and other conditions that cause coughing. It’s especially useful as a cough medicine for dogs with a collapsed trachea. It is formulated to soothe and calm irritated respiratory tissue and will also help stop coughing if carefully administered when the dog is having problems.
Although it is often used for kennel cough, the purpose of the medicine is primarily for soothing and stopping the irritation, so dogs with coughing fits from collapsed trachea should benefit. Unlike antibiotics, this doesn’t kill off gut bacteria and the all-natural ingredients can be helpful.
Another bonus for the Fur Goodness Sake product is that it doesn’t just work on dogs. You can use it for cats and rabbits too! The product may be effective for horses, but an average dose is for an animal from 8-35 lbs. It isn’t difficult or expensive to lower the dose if your dog is smaller, but it may be difficult to raise the dose enough to work on a horse.
Some cough medicine for dogs with collapsed trachea come in tablet or capsule form and you have to figure out how to get your dog to swallow them. This comes in a liquid that most dogs will eat with food or take by itself. The bottle comes with a glass dropper for easy dosing.
If your dog resists eating food with this product and won’t take it alone, many owners have had luck adding it to drinking water. Many dogs will want a water after a coughing spell, so this can help with immediate relief.
Ingredients: Marshmallow Root, Mullein leaf, Angelica Root, and Elderberry are the primary active ingredients. Check the ingredient list before using if your dog is sensitive to some herbs
Primary Use: Throat soothing
3. PawHealer Hound Honey Trachea Soother Syrup
- Symptoms of Honking Type Cough
- Excitement sets off Coughing Episode
It’s also good for dogs that get a severe cough when they bark or get excited. Many dogs with collapsed trachea will also gag and this product is known to help stop both coughing and gagging. This is an excellent choice for cough medicine for dogs with a collapsed trachea.
This ingredient is a remedy based on Chinese herbal medicine and has a lengthy list of ingredients. We’ll provide them in Chinese and Latin. They are often-used cough remedies in Chinese medicine. The main ingredient that will be familiar to most people is honey which is also used in folk medicine all over the world and is known to be a cough soother and a sweetener.
Ingredients: da zao (Fructus Zizyphi Jujubae), zhe bei mu (Bulbus Fritillaria Thunbergii), gua lou shi (Pericarpium Trichosanthis), yuan zhi (Radix Polygalae), bai bu (Radix Stemonae), fu xiao mai (Fructus Tritici Levis), xuan fu hua (Flos Inulae), sang ye (Mori Folium), chen pi (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae), sheng di huang (Radix Rehmanniae), gan cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae), ma bo (Lasiosphera/Calvatia), xuan shen (Radix Scrophulariae), dang gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), honey.
Marshmallow Root, Mullein leaf, Angelica Root, and Elderberry are the primary active ingredients. Check the ingredient list before using if your dog is sensitive to some herbs. It does not contain Gluten.
Primary Use: Relief of “honking” cough
4. Amber Technology Vibacta Organic Antibiotic
- Vibactra Immune Support: The Amber NaturalZ Vibactra Immune Support Herbal Supplement for Dogs, Cats, Birds, Guinea Pigs, and Rabbits contains a proprietary blend of herbs that help support overall immune, stomach, and respiratory system health and fight free radicals.
- Formulated Just For Pets: This herbal pet supplement contains antioxidants and is designed to help your pet maintain a healthy microbiome and a healthy inflammatory response. It supports your dog, cat, bird, rabbit, or guinea pig's overall natural immune systems. For additional support, try Amber NaturalZ Vibactra Plus - Immune Support.
This one has a proprietary blend of organization Non-GMO ingredients to support the immune system. It can be used on an ongoing basis, unlike a prescription antibiotic. Infections don’t become resistant to this kind of immune support product, but the dog’s system can stay stronger with long-term use.
It fights both bacterial and viral infections. It also provides antioxidant support from antioxidant vitamins and has ingredients to help strengthen bones and teeth. It should not be used with other antibiotic support products or antibiotics unless your veterinarian recommends it.
Ingredients: Brown mustard seeds, Olive Leafs, Cloves, Pau D’arco Bark, Black Seed, Grapefruit Seed Extract.
Primary Use: Antibiotic and immune system support
5. Cough Stop Natural Alcohol-Free Liquid Extract
- This Cough Stop extract made from the natural highest quality human-grade Dried European ElderFlower, Grindelia Aerial Parts, Horehound Aerial Parts, Licorice Root, Marshmallow Root, Osha Root, Black Cherry Bark, Yerba Santa Leaf, Isatis Leaf and Root and Mullein Flower and Leaf. Other ingredients: vegetable palm glycerin, crystal clear water.
- Hawaii Pharm Cough Stop Pet Supplement contains no GMO, gluten, heavy metals, artificial colors, preservatives or synthetic fertilizers!
As stated in the name, it also has no alcohol which can be toxic in moderate doses and sedating even in small doses. The liquid is glycerin-based which makes a liquid that coats the dog’s throat and helps with even the most severe cough.
Ingredients: Human-Grade Dried European Elder Flower, Grindelia Aerial Parts, Horehound Aerial Parts, Licorice Root, Marshmallow Root, Osha Root, Black Cherry Bark, Yerba Santa Leaf, Isatis Leaf, and Root and Mullein Flower and Leaf.
Primary Use: Soothes throat to prevent coughing
6. Jackson Galaxy Solutions Easy Breather
- Chronic physical diseases have an emotional component that can be treated with essences.
- Easy-Breather works to release, detoxify, and discharge the build-up of toxins and stuck energies throughout the respiratory system.
While the product is highly beneficial for Pomeranians and dogs alike, it’s also suitable for other pets. Many customers saw very positive results from using Easy Breather for their dogs’ cough, asthma, collapsed trachea, hacking, and more.
All that you need to do is add a few drops into your Pomeranian’s food every day and you’ll likely notice the difference soon. In my opinion, this is by far one of the best cough medicines for dogs with collapsed tracheas. But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself!
Ingredients: Natural spring water, essences of Lotus, Lakshmi, Crab Apple, Elm, Chiton, Sea Horse, Pineapple, Noni.
Primary Use: Improve breathing through respiratory detoxification
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right cough medicine for your dog, especially if they have a collapsed trachea, is a matter of health for your pup. Luckily there are a handful of amazing options out there to choose from.
I know the cough medicine for dogs with collapsed trachea we just showed you are very popular, but one may work better for your dog. Not only that, but you should reach out to your vet if your dog is in any pain. That’s the least we can do as pet owners.
