In humans and animals, cough provocation challenges can be performed used to test potential cough treatments. There are many different cough provocation challenges that work via different mechanisms, and are performed in different ways - citric acid, capsaicin and mannitol for example. Below is a paper that will provide you more information:
Koskela HO, Nurmi HM, Purokivi MK. Cough-provocation tests with hypertonic aerosols. ERJ Open Research. 2020 Apr 1;6(2).