Are Puppy Hiccups Normal? - TODAY

• On the Show
• Shop
• Health
• Start TODAY
• Parents
• Food
• Life

Nothing's as peaceful as watching a sleeping puppy’s rhythmic breathing and soft sighs — until the hiccups start. If you’re a first-time pet owner, seeing your pup’s tiny body jerk with every hiccup can be a little alarming. But relax, they are as normal for your puppy as they are for you. 

Hiccups are simply uncontrollable spasms that contract the diaphragm muscle causing your pup to begin to breathe in. Suddenly, the glottis (a part of your dog's voice box) closes, stopping the intake of air. And out comes a hiccup (or two or three). 

Dogs generally get them from the air they swallow when they eat or drink too fast, but stress, fatigue and excitement can also bring on a bout. Some experts believe the harmless spasms can actually help your puppy relieve stomach gas or irritation. 

By the same token, reverse hiccups — or when your dog takes a series of loud, involuntary breaths — could be his or her way of clearing out their sinuses. 

Bottom line? Hiccuping is harmless, maybe even helpful. They will come and go for a while, but eventually, your puppy will outgrow them.

• Add TODAY to Google

More Tips

The Viral 6-to-1 Grocery Method: Chef Will Coleman’s Shopping List and Recipes

On the show

I Lost My Daughter-in-Law. Grief Makes It Hard to Eat, but I Keep Turning to Her Favorite Soup

Tips

Labor and Delivery Nurse Reveals the No. 1 Hospital Question That Could Save Your Life

Parenting Tips

33 Sleepover Ideas to Keep the Party Going All Night Long (Or, You Know, Until Bedtime)

Parenting Tips

Are You The 'Food Parent'? Here's Why It's Such a 'Relentless' Role

Parenting Tips

Duke Professor Shares the No. 1 Predictor of Success in Class

Teens

Toxic Mom Groups Use These 4 Tactics to Exclude You — Here’s How to Respond

Moms

Pediatrician Reveals the Biggest Factor That Shapes Your Child’s Future— And It's Not Your Parenting

Family

Baby oatmeal bath 101: How, why and when to make the perfect oatmeal bath for your baby

Babies

How To Know When Girls Will Stop Growing: All About Height

Parents