Does it help to stop the "hawking" sound you get when trying to clear your throat due to mucus that drips down the throat and cannot be coughed up?

No, this product is strictly for helping people who speak for long periods of time like actors and/or singers. It helps keep your throat moist. That is what it was designed for.

any animal by-products or gelatin.....calories?

I dont believe so, this is the ingredients list straight from their website.. "Entertainer's Secret is formulated to resemble natural secretions. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose, aloe vera gel, and glycerin – each a proxy for a naturally secreted type of mucus (globular, strand and sheet) – are blended into a buffered (via dibasic sodium phosphate), aqueous hypertonic (via potassium chloride) solution that is preserved with methyl and propyl parabens. Each ingredient has a very high safety profile. Unlike some other sore throat remedies, it does NOT contain numbing anesthetics, alcohol, antiseptics, analgesics, antihistamines, decongestants, anti-inflammatory agents, or any other "medicinal" ingredient that can produce unwanted side effects. The improved honey-apple flavor imparts a pleasant mellow taste." Im not quite sure if the flavoring uses real honey or not though, was not able to find info on this.

Actually reading the ingredients more clearly for the first time & a little surprised. Here is the list of ingredients on my bottle in order: water, glycerine, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, PROPYLPARABEN, Potassium chloride, Dibasic sodium, phosphate and flavors. Parabens?! In a throat spray? You may have heard that parabens are actually incredibly bad for you. They mimic estrogen in the body and are found in 18 of 20 malignant breast tumors/cancers. Parabens are quickly being outed as very dangerous & toxic to our bodies & that we should avoid them at all cost. They are usually in our beauty products. Lotions, creams, soaps, cleansers, shampoos etc. Sadly, I will no longer be using entertainers secret.

Is this vegan and cruelty free?

I doubt it. For one, it doesn’t work AT ALL, and two, you won’t be able to return it if you are not happy. It was in my opinion a total waste of hope and money!