Strange Choking (?) Experience Today At The Dog Park

[seeh2o]

I took Carl to the dog park today. Because of all the rain we've had this week creating a cabin-fever factor, it was packed. Carl was having a great time, playing with all the dogs and running and sprinting like a mad man. He even found another grey and they spent some time sniffing each other, but he was mostly interested in a lively female Great Dane and some really fast Huskies.

 

Then I heard what I thought was a small dog making sounds like it was distraught. The sound seemed to be coming from some small dogs that were around where Carl was. The smallest dogs in the park were around him, but they looked just fine. I noticed that the people standing around Carl looked alarmed and were looking around as if they were looking for an owner, one guy was petting Carl (which is not unusual). Then I noticed that Carl was just standing there with his head down looking - not right. I ran over to where Carl was and asked what happened and it turned out that it was CARL making the really lound high pitched sound that I thought was coming from one of the small dogs. They told me that it seemed like he was choking. I was petting him and he was shaking ever so slightly and seemed a little wigged out, but knew who I was and let me comfort him.

 

I decided we needed to leave then and there, put his leash on him and we walked him slowly to the gate. It's a big park and we were at the far end, so we had to walk quite a distance. He started to perk up when he saw other dogs running and wanted to play again, but I was having nothing to do with it. The rest of the day he seemed fine, worn out (maybe from all the running he did at the park), but sort of pooped. Tonight when I was making dinner he had something caught in his throat again, but it cleared and he's fine now. He's been to the dog park a lot, but this has never happened before, ever.

 

It seemed too alarmist to take him to the vet over it, though I am keeping a very close eye on him the rest of the weekend. He is sleeping next to me on the couch, his breathing is normal, not faster than usual or labored. He has his normal great appetite and ate dinner.

 

I have to take CPR classes regularly because of my job and know that when a human is choking they tend to make high-pitched squeaking sounds, which reminds me of what he was doing. Weird, weird, weird.

 

Any thoughts? Has anyone had this happen before?

[Greytlady94]

He wasn't doing the backward sneeze thing was he?

 

I would have him checked out just to be on the safe side, I don't think that is being an alarmist.

[ahicks51]

Is there anything visible when you open the mouth and examine the tongue and throat?

 

[Charla]

Gracie gets a cough/wheeze when she does a lot of running, but not that bad. In a human I would think of exercise induced asthma; sounds like airway narrowing or a tracheal restriction of some kind. I would check it out with a vet.

[Guest grey_dreams]

He wasn't doing the backward sneeze thing was he?

 

From the description I also thought it might be the backward sneeze thing. Zuki got that once when he was running flat out. It sounds like they are choking when it happens.

 

[silverfish]

My first thought is the reverse sneeze too.

 

The reverse sneeze sounds very distressing - it's as if they're gasping for air, but with a closed mouth. It's convulsive, the breath really whistles and rasps into the nose, and they gulp spasmodically too. It sounds much as if someone has stuffed a pea up each nostril. But it is, in fact, quite harmless.

 

It is sometimes down to allergies, but mostly it's just something that dogs do now and then. Several of us have found that if you massage the throat firmly, it helps it to stop.

 

Here's an interesting and informative article about it -

 

Reverse Sneezing

 

If it happens very often, or if you don't think this does sound like what Carl was doing, then take him along for a check-up.

 

 

[Guest tammara]

I really wasn't sure what a reverse sneeze was... I found this example on you tube...

 

 

hope this helps

[Batmom]

If not reverse sneeze, could he have had a cramp?

[seeh2o]

Several of us have found that if you massage the throat firmly, it helps it to stop.

 

Ironically, that's what I did as soon as I got to him, I immediately rubbed his neck and chest. I did not see him doing this, I only heard it because I thought it was a small dog making the noise and was looking to see which small dog was in distress. Also, when I glanced at Carl, he was standing with other dogs, but I couldn't see all of him, I also didn't think it was him.

 

Now that I think about it, he did have the posture of reverse sneezing. All my other dogs have done it, and all have assumed a similar position, legs in a braced position and head down. He was not drooling or frothing at the mouth. I have never seen or heard Carl have a reverse sneeze, maybe now I have.

 

He was fine last night, and is fine today. I will continue to keep a close eye on him.

 

Thanks for the link and the article. I will keep posting how he is doing over the next few days.

 

 

[seeh2o]

Since I can't edit this (though it said I could edit the post) here is the post above with additional information and editing:

 

Ironically, that's what I did as soon as I got to him, I immediately rubbed his neck and chest. I did not see him making the honking sound, I only heard it. Because I thought it was a small dog making the noise I was looking around to see which small dog was in distress, it never occurred to me that the sound was coming from Carl. Also, as I was looking for the small dog I thought was making the sound I glanced at Carl, he was standing with other dogs who were all in motion. I couldn't see all of him, I also didn't think it was him making the sound, so I didn't focus on him.

 

Now that I think about it, when I got to him he was in the posture of reverse sneezing. All my other dogs have done it, and all have assumed a similar position, legs in a braced position and head down. He was not drooling or frothing at the mouth. I have never seen or heard Carl have a reverse sneeze, maybe now I have (sort of).

 

After reading the article I'm wondering even more if it was a reverse sneeze. He had been doing two of the things listed as triggers, he had been drinking water and was running/sprinting full-throttle. He had stopped running, but was playing (jumping around) with other dogs just before the sound started.

 

He was fine last night, and is fine today. I will continue to keep a close eye on him.

 

Thanks for the link and the article. I will keep posting how he is doing over the next few days.