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Frequently Asked Questions Why
does my puppy hiccup? My puppy sure seems to hiccup a lot these days. Is this normal? A
temporary spasm of the diaphragm. It is completely normal for a puppy to have hiccups
off and on throughout the day. Hiccups sometimes start after eating a
meal, but can occur at any time and last for up to several minutes. A
hiccup is defined as a non-controllable spasmodic contraction of the
diaphragm, causing a beginning inspiration of air that is suddenly stopped
by closure of the glottis. The diaphragm is a muscle that separates the
chest from the abdomen. It enables the lungs to bring in air during
inspiration. When the diaphragm contracts, the air is quickly drawn in,
but the glottis, a part of the "voice box," suddenly cuts it
off.
Puppy hiccups will come and go. Eventually puppies
grow out of them. |
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Copyright
© 2008. Henrietta
Animal Hospital. All rights reserved.
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