Help.....need Your Expertise

[DesiRayMom]

When we got up this morning, Des had an episode.......I don't know what to call it......it seemed like his throat locked up , he tried to scream,

but could only get out a squeak. He was gasping & croaking & scaring me to death. I massaged his throat & head & spoke softly to him

telling him everything was gonna be ok & he soon calmed down & seemed ok. We went for our morning walkabout, everything fine. Back

for breakfast (meals are his favorite times of day). When he started to eat, same thing......like he couldn't swallow, or open his jaws, or

something. So I stroked & calmed, he settled, then walked away from his breakfast like he was afraid to try that again. After he was

totally calm & on the couch, I took his bowl to him & he did finish his meal, although very slowly & carefully.

 

I am so freaking out. Is this the beginning of LP? I really do not know much about this condition at all, & certainly not enough to know

if what I'm seeing could be a symptom. Please guide me, my friends.

 

I have to go to work (he's coming with) but will try to come back here during break to see if y'all have any words of wisdom.

 

Thanks in advance.........Kathy & Desi

[JAJ2010]

Was he reverse sneezing? You can Google YouTube videos

[JohnF]

How worrying. Try to video the next episode so you can show the vet.

 

It could be Larygeal Paralysis see the link for support group http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/LP/

 

Not tetanus (aka. lockjaw) as it frees up. Reevrse sneezing?

[Hubcitypam]

Was he reverse sneezing? You can Google YouTube videos

That was my first thought. It can be scary.

[Guest KennelMom]

My first thought was LP...sounds a lot like Grandpa when his LP flaired into an attack. Scary as sh** and no way like a reverse sneeze. Google it to see if that's what you saw. Does he have any other symptoms? Wheezy/raspy breathing, ESP in heat? Hoarse or quieter bark?

Edited September 13, 2012 by KennelMom

[cleptogrey]

if it's reverse sneezing this is a trick that i use to stop it- basically it's mucous stuck in the back of their throat is:

a medicine dropper full (tablespoon)of lemon juice poured down their throat- just open the mouth and squirt or pour the T. down - back of the throat. the lemon juice cuts the mucous and they no longer sneeze. my vet who has had short nosed dogs for decades told me about it. my welsh terrier always had reverse sneezes...it worked well!

 

w/ lp it's heavy panting(you will think of "deep throat" when you hear it- it's heavy and deep) that you are watching out for, often dogs w/o lp have reverse sneezes.

Edited September 13, 2012 by cleptogrey

[DesiRayMom]

Crap........he just did it again. I was packiing my lunch, and one of the morning treats is a tiny piece of cheese from my sammie.

Put it in his mouth, and he did the squeak thing again as he tried to swallow. I've seen reverse sneezes (in videos) and I'm not

convinced this is it. It's more like his jaw hurts, or the swallow process hurts, thus the squeak.

 

He does hate the heat, pants in any temp over 50, but not wheezy. The hoarse bark is a moot point.....the boy does not EVER bark.

 

As I think back, that first episode this morning just out of bed could have started with a yawn, the next 2 were both in trying to eat.

 

Thanks for the replies, all, I HAVE to leave for work, will try to get on later when I get time.

[kudzu]

Hard to know if you are describing symptoms of reverse sneezing or something LP-like. A bad fit of reverse sneezing can be very scary if you've not seen it before. Just search "reverse sneeze" on YouTube & you can find lots of examples. If he seems able to get air in but harder to release it then my guess would be a reverse sneeze. Have seen dogs do this in relation to excitement, allergies & do something extremely similar though somewhat different with kennel cough.

 

My girlie Grey, Venus, does reverse sneeze sometimes when taking treats & sometimes at the beginning of meals. It's earned her the nickname "Eefing Annie".

 

LP is different & to me much scarier though I've only seen one full blown LP incident. One of mine had mild LP & while not so scary it was disturbing to watch an incident. Neither of these looked like reverse sneezing. It was more like extreme wheezing. Physical exertion or excitement that causes panting can bring on an attack. Heat can be particularly bad. My guy with LP had trouble swallowing. The LP wasn't the cause of the swallowing difficulties. Both were related to the same disease.

[Burpdog]

He needs to see a vet asap

[Guest kess]

He needs to see a vet asap

 

the best advice I have seen here

[Blaidd49]

One possibility, though perhaps unlikely, is an intra-orbital cyst or abscess.

Have you tried opening his mouth wide, if so could you or did he scream or refuse to let you.

Either way, the vet appointment is sound advice

Pam

[beledi]

I would call in sick and get my dog to the vet.

[silverfish]

Vet.

 

Good luck!

[Guest IrskasMom]

He needs to see a vet asap

 

My Words exactly

[FiveRoooooers]

Desi's mom works at a vet clinic! In her first post she said Desi would be going with her this morning. Hoping for a good report

[carronstar]

No advice but hoping for a good report. Gentle scritches to Desi and an afterwork adult beverage for mom!

[MP_the4pack]

It does not sound like the beginning of LP. It would be more for an advanced stated.

 

Glad you work at a clinic. Keep us updated!

[DesiRayMom]

Middle of the afternoon here.....still have not gotten the vet to look at Des. That's the way it is when you work

here......paying clients come first, our kids get worked in around the edges. Anyway.......one of the techs & I were

brainstorming, and she suggested NECK PAIN. He had one more small squeak when we were getting ready to

walk out the door, and seems to be fine now. I took him out a while ago & we walked all around & he sniffed all

the peemail and had his snack for lunch......nary a peep.

 

Do you think maybe he had a "crick" in his neck when he got up this morning? I know when I get one of those

it takes a hot shower & a couple of hours to work it out. The stretch & yawn first thing would stretch his neck.

Bending over a bit for breakfast would work his neck......looking up for the cheese treat....same,same.

 

I'm kind of leaning that way right now, but (if the vet ever gets a free moment) I'll have her run hands all over

looking for swellings, icky teeth, anything else that may be lurking. Thank you all & I'll update when I get home.

 

Kathy

[Burpdog]

A muscle spasm could cause severe screaming. You should be able to touch up that way and if it's muscle there is a good change you will feel twinches.

[DesiRayMom]

Finally got the vet to do an exam.........absolutely NO reaction to any pushes, prods, pokes, open mouth, twist neck, etc. The one thing she DID find was one lower canine

with a chunk broken off & "maybe" some pulp exposure. But when offered a cookie, he crunched it right up no problem. No more squeaks or sqawks. WTH?

 

He did eat his dinner albeit a good deal more slowly than normal, so maybe it is that tooth. Will get our dental "specialist" to look at it when HE gets a minute.

 

I'm sore afraid though that he will think it needs to come out, or be bonded, or some such. He's good with teeth, but I'm not confident with his anesthesia skills. He's had

a couple of incidents in the past month or so that are worrisome, and those were with "normal" dogs, not one of our special greys. Could go to OSU, but then I'd have to

live with the fallout at work about not trusting our own doctors, blah,blah,blah........and then there's the $ issue. Guess I'll see how it goes through the weekend.......at least

I'm confident it wasn't a reverse sneeze or the beginnings of LP.

 

Thanks for all your input. I was freaking out this morning, but the calming power of GT came to the rescue once again.

[FiveRoooooers]

Whew ... Thanks for the update on your boy.

[tbhounds]

Glad whatever it was seemed to pass. For the record I'm a LVT here in NJ--guess where I take my hounds for their medical care (beyond routine stuff)??? You got it Ohio State. It's a big pill for the vets here to swallow but, they know how passionate I am about my hounds health. A vet worth their snot would want you to go wherever you need to go to receive the best care available-if they can't deal with that well thats too bad it's your beloved hound not theirs :-). Ok-off my soapbox--just wanted you to know you're not alone-feel your pain. Fwiw-I thought neck or jaw pain too!

Edited September 14, 2012 by tbhounds

[joejoesmom]

Finally got the vet to do an exam.........absolutely NO reaction to any pushes, prods, pokes, open mouth, twist neck, etc. The one thing she DID find was one lower canine

with a chunk broken off & "maybe" some pulp exposure. But when offered a cookie, he crunched it right up no problem. No more squeaks or sqawks. WTH?

 

He did eat his dinner albeit a good deal more slowly than normal, so maybe it is that tooth. Will get our dental "specialist" to look at it when HE gets a minute.

 

I'm sore afraid though that he will think it needs to come out, or be bonded, or some such. He's good with teeth, but I'm not confident with his anesthesia skills. He's had

a couple of incidents in the past month or so that are worrisome, and those were with "normal" dogs, not one of our special greys. Could go to OSU, but then I'd have to

live with the fallout at work about not trusting our own doctors, blah,blah,blah........and then there's the $ issue. Guess I'll see how it goes through the weekend.......at least

I'm confident it wasn't a reverse sneeze or the beginnings of LP.

 

Thanks for all your input. I was freaking out this morning, but the calming power of GT came to the rescue once again.

 

Kathy, OSU now has an official greyhound dental program. The Greyhound Health and Wellness Program's Dr. Christine Kellogg is the one to contact. They sure know the ins and outs of greyhounds and anesthesia, along with potential bleeding issues. Probably a bit pricier than your own vet though.

 

Also, Dr. Tom Klein in Hilliard is a dental specialist -- he can do root canals, crowns, etc. I wouldn't think that Desi would need all this though. Let me know if I can help you in any way. My housemate is the vet tech for the Greyhound Program.