What can this be?

Bubs99

My dog is making a choking sound or retching, I cant fully describe it but it's like something is caught in his throat, like a fur ball or something.

Can dogs have fur balls? I've never heard of dogs having them but he has another condition (undiagnosed yet) that makes him lick his paws and knees raw.

But at the moment, its the choking sound thats worrying my Dad and I. He's snoring aswell now.

Could it be a bone splinter?

I googled the symptoms and mainly kennel cough came up but I'm positive it's not that.

Can anyone help? Does anyone know what this may be? Please!

Zapperzy

Google reverse sneezing and watch some youtube videos of it. Small dogs and terrier breeds seem to be most prone to it. If it is this then it's completely harmless, my dog got 2 bouts of it within the same week in the three years I'v had him, horrible to watch though. If it continues though I would seriously consider bringing him to a vet just in case.

Bubs99

Yeah, i did just what you advised and it's that exact sound and my dog is a yorkie x, also several of our late yorkies also had this but we always thought it was just a little cough.

My dog has only had this for 2 days so far and we were just getting worried. I hate seeing him like that.

I wish we could read their minds!!!

Thanks for the advise.

Zapperzy

Covering their nose in the middle of a bout is supposed to stop it. First time my fella done it was late in the evening, nearly bundled him straight into the car and rushed him to the vet, thought he was having a heart attack. If it continues though I would suggest bringing him to a vet to have him checked over, just in case there is something lodged in his naval cavity triggering it.

Bubs99

Thanks for that tip. Yeah, if it continues for another few days to a week then Ill bring him to his vet.

He's snoring away under the duvet beside me now so he's safe and sound at the mo.

Thanks a mil again.
I hope your dog is ok.

Inexile

If it continues I would bring him to the vet to get it check out and set your mind at ease..

mystika121

Hi, I would advise bringing him to the Vet for a check up. My dog had a intermittent cough which sounded like he was trying to clear his throat. It was worse at night.

The vet said that he had suffered a heart attack and that the cough was caused by him trying to clear the build up of fluid in his lungs as his heart wasn't able to provide enough circulation.

It's better to be safe than sorry and a quick vet visit will put your mind at ease.

Best of luck with him.

star-pants

*if* it's just reverse sneezing (if you check with the vet) - the way I find best to stop it is to cover their nose.
My youngest gets this from time to time and it's a little scary cuz she clearly can't breathe properly. I use my thumb and completely block her nostrils and it forces her to breathe through her mouth which generally stops the process.
Sometimes they can get it from sniffing pollen or other things and the sneeze just goes the wrong way.

andreac

Sounds like it could be kennel cough if its going on for a few days.

Please dont leave the dog for another few days to a week with this, because if you do and it is a cough, he could end up with Pneumonia if its not treated in time.

gregers85

Our Setter at home got that about a month ago, brought her to the Vet it was kennel cough, he gave her a vaccination and an anti-biotic cleared it in a few days!! Def bring to vet to be checked out!!

DBCyc

Maybe it depends on the dog, but that sounds like a cough to me OP, especially the retching noise. If it is persisting over days then its most likely kennel cough. Go to the vet in this case - its easily sorted.

The coughing could also induce a reverse sneeze, which sounds like snorting and looks like the dog is having difficulty breathing. As advised above, hand over the nostrils usually sorts this.

andreac

Reverse sneezing only happens every now and again and wouldnt continue for a few days so i really would urge you to bring the dog to the vets as it sounds like Kennel cough. I know a lot of dogs who have ahd it recently, including my own so please get your dog seen to before it progresses into something worse.

falabo

sounds to me like Kennel Cough. I would bring the dog to the vet for treatment, then wait a few weeks and have the dog vaccinated

Bubs99

He's not doing the "reverse sneeze" all the time, just about 3 times a day, when he gets over excited, going for a walk or something like that. But he is snoring which he rarely use to do.

He's had it since Monday. He's fine every other way, glossy wet nose, bright eyes, he's eating, drinking, going to the toilet etc. etc. and he's as chirpy as always. It's just the strange breathing.

andreac

Bubs99 wrote: »

He's not doing the "reverse sneeze" all the time, just about 3 times a day, when he gets over excited, going for a walk or something like that. But he is snoring which he rarely use to do.

He's had it since Monday. He's fine every other way, glossy wet nose, bright eyes, he's eating, drinking, going to the toilet etc. etc. and he's as chirpy as always. It's just the strange breathing.

Sounds like a classic case of kennel cough. Off to the vets with him.

Bubs99

How did he catch that?!!! :eek:

DBCyc

Bubs99 wrote: »

How did he catch that?!!! :eek:

I think certain strains of it are very contagious and there are a lot of different strains also. Ours got it despite being vaccinated.

EDIT: Some dogs must be more susceptible also as only one of ours got it, the other never did even though they sleep together all the time

Bubs99

my Dad thinks he'll be ok (he can be very stubborn, asks for my help but doesn't take it) :mad:. He's actually my Dads dog.
He thinks he'll be ok and doesn't see the need to bring him because he's not as bad as yesterday. (except his snoring sound when breathing).

Someone else said to check you tube and I did and the dog made the same sound as Buster (my baby) and they said its reverse sneeze.

I always thought dogs can only get this from other infected dogs. The only vaccinations he gets is the annual booster. And he gets the monthly flea/worm/tick treatment also.

Im so confused but worried now if it's kennel cough. Im moving house next week and have just paid a massive deposit so Im broke and cant afford to bring him to the vet myself.

andreac

Kennel cough is extremely contagious and if your dog was anywhere near another dog that has it, he can be infected as it is an airborne disease.

There are so many diff strains of K.C. so even if you vaccinate, it doesnt necessarily guarantee that they wont catch it.

My male has been vaccinated and has had it at one stage already. Now when my pup got it a few months ago, the male never caught it off her as has built up some immunity to it already.

Just noticed there, you said your dog is wormed monthly, dogs only need to be wormed every 3 months, so be careful you are not over medicating him, as this isnt good for them.

Try not to believe what youtube says....

sambuka41

My little one is a half Pomeranian and she makes a made sounds like coughing when she is excited, the vet said she may have a collapsed trachea, apparently its common in small breeds. He didn't give us anything for it, said they would look at options if it started happening more often or caused her a lot of distress.

Just keep a close eye on your fella, i'm sure if he gets worse your dad may concede and take him? Or would your vet be ok with you paying off over a few weeks? If theres nothing wrong with him, then it'll just be the consultation fee, mine is about 40 euro.

Bubs99

Sorry, i didnt mean worming every month exactly, I just meant treated. Our vet said flea and worm one month and tick treatment the next, then flea and worm etc. etc. We only began the tick treatment at the start of the summer because he got infected with them.

We're stopping the tick treatment for a little while soon and just flea/worm treating when it needs to be done.

Yeah,if he still has the cough/choking tomorrow, Im going to bring him to the vets.
My friend had a yorkie who had the same problems for a long long time, and after years of antibiotics and steroids and surgery, she had to be put to sleep.

Ok, the vets it will be so. Thank you everyone for your advice.

Chorcai

Out Pom X Ter, did this "nose clearing", almost like she is hyperventilating, she was a tad bit over weight and her snoring was bad when she slept. Treats taken away and an extra bit of walking sorted it all out.