Did you know that sometimes puppies get the hiccups ?! This often worries pet owners; however, if your puppy gets puppy hiccups, there is nothing to worry about. Puppy hiccups are completely normal and your puppy may get them on and off throughout the day. Puppy hiccups most often occur following a meal in puppies and is a common occurance. Does your puppy has the hiccups ? Learn more here!
Puppy has Hiccups: What Happens?
Just as we get hiccups, puppies get puppy hiccups. Also, just like our hiccups, they are completely uncontrollable. What are hiccups, though? Hiccups contract the diaphragm which results in your dog breathing in air. When the diaphragm contracts, a piece of your puppy’s voice box called the glottis closes, which stops the intake of air. This results in hiccups. Puppy hiccups most commonly occur when a dog eats or drinks too fast; however, if the puppy becomes excited quickly or is under stress they may also occur. With time though, your puppy will outgrow her puppy hiccups.
Hiccups in Puppies: How to slow your puppy’s eating?
In the meantime, to slow your puppy’s eating, there are items known as ‘slow bowls’ available to your puppy. These essentially make the puppy “work” for his food and slow his eating and drinking habits. These greatly assist in reducing puppy hiccups. Learn here how to train a puppy and how much to feed a puppy.
Watch this cute and funny video of a Heeler puppy having the hiccups !
Amber Johnson, Animal Behaviorist
Miss Amber Johnson has many years of experience with pets and is a licensed cat and dog nutrition and behavior specialist. She currently collaborates with PetPremium where she counsels clients in pet behavior and nutrition. The statements made in this article are the personal opinions of Miss Amber Johnson and based on independent experiences and could be different from the opinions of PetPremium Pet health Insurance or any other pet health insurance provider.