Odd Wheezing Attacks

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Chelsa has had a few of these strange episodes, which at first I chalked up to the reverse sneeze, but it can go on for as long as a minute. Sounds like she is sneezing repeatedly; then like she clears her throat a little and it's over. She will often get up and come to me when it happens because I pat her back which seems to comfort her. I will ask my vet about it next time I am in; however I am pretty sure we'll have to catch it on film because the odds of getting her to do it at the vet's are slim to none. Nothing in particular seems to lead up to these incidents; they are pretty random. Any thoughts?

[KF_in_Georgia]

Please post what your vet says. My Sam does this fairly often. Sometimes it's while drinking (or just afterwards), and I've wondered if he inhaled some water (the way he tends to inhale his food). But sometimes it starts up when he's dozing on the sofa. It's very much the reverse-sneeze except that it lasts for an extended period.

 

I don't think it's serious. Sam (he's nearly 9) never shows any ill effects afterwards. I sometimes slap him on the back (like "hard" pats--what you'd do to someone who's coughing). It doesn't seem to help with what's going on, but it makes me feel better. (Sam just looks at me like, "What do you think you're doing?")

 

But it's odd that Sam does it...and Jacey-Kasey never does.

[greysmom]

Dude's reverse sneezing attacks can last for several minutes - the longest was a series that went on all afternoon - so I wouldn't discount a reverse sneezing diagnosis. Both Copper and Cash also have these attacks but they are never as long as Dude's. The best advice I got here was 2 drops of Rescue Remedy at the beginning of the spell. Usually one dose does it, but sometimes it takes several.

 

greysmom

[KF_in_Georgia]

Sam's spells never last long enough for me to get to the Rescue Remedy, so I guess we're fine. If he started doing longer spells, I'd probably be more worried.

[Guest RICHandJUDE]

Does it happen all the time? My 7 year male started a 'slight clearing the throat cough ' in early October. It usually only happens first thing in the morning. It isn't a reverse sneeze as I know what that sounds and looks like. The vet diagnosed him as having a strain of kennel cough. The vet could even make him cough at will--a sign of Kennel cough. When it didn't get better by Thanksgiving, we put him on antibiotics. When the antibiotics didn't seem to work, we took an x-ray. The x-ray showed a small tumor like thing by one of his ribs, The ultra sound and biopsy came back negative. We than had a fungus test done and it came back negative.

 

It hasn't gotten any better in the 3 1/2 months but it hasn't gotten any worse. We are going to monitor it till the middle of March then take another x-ray if needed. We figure if were cancer the cough should be getting at least a little worse in the 14 or 15 weeks. His blood work is normal, his eating and pooping is normal. His weight has been 65.9 lbs for the last 6 months.

[Guest KyGrey]

Boomer will have the reverse sneeze sometimes and it seems to help him if I rub the under side of his neck and throat.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

It's sporadic, maybe once eery week or two. I sounds very much like a backwards sneeze. She is fine afterwards; I am guessing that I just have a sneezer! I am still going to try and get a video clip of her doing it so we can show her vet. What causes reverse sneeze? Any complications down the road?

[KF_in_Georgia]

What causes reverse sneeze? Any complications down the road?

 

I've never heard of any complications, and when I mentioned "reverse sneezing" to my vet, he didn't even blink...didn't think it was anything to be concerned with. Sam's been doing reverse sneezes--about as often as your girl--for the six years I've had him, and he's healthy as a horse (give or take the occasional binge on raw potatoes, animal crackers, Valentine's candy hearts, loaves of bread, or paper towels--not all at once, thank heavens).

[macoduck]

Here's recent post with videos of a reverse sneeze linky

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Thanks! Rainy even looks like Chelsa! I also looked up reverse sneeze (googled it) and found a youtube video of an iggy and one of another dog that confirm it for me that Chels is suffering from reverse sneeze.

[cleptogrey]

my vet, who owns lots of short nosed breeds, has told me to give my dogs a spoonful of lemon juice to clear the phlegm. to me it sounds like the reverse sneeze is the hound trying to clear their throats. i use a medicine dropper for babies and either squirt the juice down their throat or into the corner of a closed mouth. it cuts right thru the mucous and clears it up nicely. i did not have any qualms about using lemon juice since my acupuncturist is always telling me to start the day off w/ the juice of a fresh squeezed lemon...i still stick w/ coffee.

[Guest Spencers_Greyt]

Sounds to me like reverse sneezing as well - see link but it could be tracheal collapse but that usually only happens in those breeds with the squashed noses like Pugs and Bulldogs. You will have to capture it on video for your vet to correctly identify what it is. I'm sure he will just say reverse sneezing too. And this can be caused by allergies by the way.