Is it normal for my puppy to get hiccups?

I see lots of puppies and I always ask how the puppy is doing at home. I ask things like "Is he eating, drinking, playing and power napping? How about getting hiccups?" And the clients always look at me incredulously, like I have psychic powers.  "Yes! He does that ALL the time! Is that normal?"  When I was preparing this blog, I did some research to see if I could find anyone who really KNOWS why this is and I did not have much luck, so it seems that I am as much of an expert as anyone.
Hiccups are caused by a spasm of the diaphragm with a rapid intake of breath. They tend to occur in "runs" and puppies do get them frequently. It is a normal occurrence in puppies.  Because of the complex pathway involving nerves, brain and the structures near the diaphragm, continuous hiccups that do not resolve on their own, could be a sign of more serious illness. This is a rare syndrome that I have never seen in pets, but have read about in humans.
In my experience, they are even more frequent in puppies that will have a large mature body weight. My Doberman puppy definitely had them more than my Pug mix ever did.  When I was pregnant with my son (a time when LOTS of growth is occurring) he had hiccups relentlessly.
So my conclusion is that hiccups in puppies are a normal finding that might be related to rapid growth. They are not a cause for concern unless they do not resolve on their own. If you are worried about your puppy, bring him in for a visit. (Even if you are not worried, bring him in because we all LOVE puppies!)