# Help please - new sound/behavior



## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

Hi all,

I need your help, please. Tango started doing something today, and I'm not really sure what to do. She's making this coughing/gagging/choking sound. It's not constant, it will last for a few minutes, then she'll be OK for a while, then she'll start again.

It's not kennel cough because I've dealt with that before.

It almost reminds me of a cat with a hair ball.

Has anyone dealt with this before? Any idea as to what I should do? It sound horrible, and can't be comfortable. I would love to make her feel better!

Please help!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Has she eaten since the first time it happened. ? If it keeps up ,I would take her to the vets to check it out. Could be a hair ball.


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

It might be a backwards sneeze. I read that if you put your fingers over their nostrils if it is a backwards sneeze it will stop the sneeze!


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Could be a revers sneeze... but why would it happen multiple times a day? 
It could be a hairball of some sort that is stuck.. 
Or could it possibly be something else that is stuck? Has he been drinking?

Ryan


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## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

Not a reverse sneeze - I had pomeranian who did that a lot.

Yes, she's drinking, and she's eaten twice today. I was hoping that eating would help dislodge whatever was causing this, but no such luck. 

I feel so bad for her, it sounds terrible!

I will definitely take her to the vet tomorrow. Was just hoping that someone here would have some insight, so I could make her more comfortable tonight.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

The other night we gave the dogs dry kibble, they usually get wet food mixed with dry but we ran out, and Murphy ate so fast he did a choking/coughing thing that scared us. I think he just ate too fast and wasn't used to eating dry kibble. He walked around for a minute or two making the noise and just as we started to freak out he burped SO loud, walked over to get a drink of water, then he was fine. Funny now, not so much at the time.

Hope Tango is ok!!!


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Did you look up his nose? down the throat? Maybe it is a blade of grass or a caught fuzzy?


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Dugan will do this once in a while. It sounds like my cats when they have a hairball. I usually find it is after he has had a flossie or other bone and I wonder if maybe it left a tickle kind of thing in his throat.


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## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

Thanks everyone for all of your replies.

I did look in her nose and mouth (and as close to down her throat as I can get....). I don't see anything, but it really does remind me of a cat with a hairball. So I'm thinking it is some sort of tickle in her throat, or honestly, it could possibly be a hairball. Heaven knows she has enough hair to cause one!!! :suspicious:

Anyway, she'll cough for a bit, then settle down for several hours, then start up again. She's calm now (sleeping, actually). It just sounds and looks so uncomfortable when she's doing it!

I'll take her to the vet tomorrow. Was just hoping there was something I could do for her tonight. But since she's sleeping, I'll go with the theory that she's OK for now.

Thanks everyone!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I hope it is something simple and/or temporary, but two different things came to mind: a reverse sneeze and a collapsed trachea. Hopefully your vet can help you distinguish what it is, even if it isn't one of those.


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

It may be reverse sneezing. I know you said your pom did it, but my DS's pekingese does it and hers sounds _very different_ than when Tori does it. Tori's sounds more like you're describing and her vet confirms it is indeed reverse sneezing.

Hope your vet finds it to be something simple.


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

Any update on what the vet said?


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## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

Yes - it's a hairball! I didn't know dogs could get those.....

The (very) short version - she coughed it up (eew) and all is good now.

That was really crazy!

Thanks for all of the help here, I really appreciate it!


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Whew! Glad to know!


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

oh good!! glad to hear everything turned out okay!


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

It makes sense that seeing as our havs have hair and not fur, the lickers wold get hairballs! Good to know and to stay on the lookout. Lola does this when she is super stressed, excited or when we visit a climate with dry winter heat issues. Now I can add hairball inspection to the remedies.


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## alicelc (Feb 6, 2010)

That's great news =]
Thank goodness it was not a collapsed trachea (was worried when I read that possibility)


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## jimandjudy4321 (Aug 13, 2007)

Do you give her any kind of rawhides to chew? I had a previous dog who got one caught in its throat and it coughed and almost choaked before I could get it out.....


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## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

I wasn't worried about a collapsed trachea, because I know how prissy Tango is.  She doesn't rough-house with the other dogs. She will RLH every once in a while, but that's the only play-type behavior she will ever exhibit. I've tried to get her to play with toys (dozens of different kinds of toys) but she's just not interested. She doesn't EVER wear a collar - she's an indoor dog and usually goes without anything. When we walk, she has a harness, so nothing is ever pressing against her throat.

As for rawhides, she just doesn't care for them. She's the only dog I ever met who doesn't like to chew - no matter how tasty they smell. She doesn't like rawhide, doesn't like bones, doesn't like greenies, doesn't like bully sticks....she just doesn't chew!

Fortunately, we now have Bandit, who seems to feel the need to "make up" for Tango's lack of chewing.... ound:


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