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My Dog Can't Breathe!!!

my dog has done this for a while but it seems to be getting worse---he goes through spells where he is struggling to breathe and he makes snorting noises trying to get air....it never looks as if he is actually suffocating though.....what can i do? please help!!! i was wondering if i could be allergies? we recently brought him into the house as a house dog---though he had this problem before it seems worse but i don't know if its cause we see him more or what----again please help!!!!
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Avatar universal
These experiences are so difficult for those babies (dogs) . I'm concerned cause my almost 3 year old little one just experienced difficulty breathing and I'm so scared I gently picked him up held him casue it's scary I don't want him to feel alone noway I'm here . I will take him to a vet but I am scared if they try things in him they should t . X-ray is the best I think , please advice me . Thank u
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Avatar universal
My dog has nasal cancer, Boston Terrier.   Sounds like what a lot of you are describing.  Daisy Mae started sneezing and I thought maybe she had sniffed something into her nose But then sneezing began bleeding.Also one eye got really red and now is bulging some. Took her to vet and he said nose polyps or nasal cancer.   I could not afford the high cost of care and it is very hard on the dog. I am keeping her comfortable right now with pain meds and Benedryl.  I will have to make a decision soon as I won't let her suffer.  She seems ok during the day but nights she is suffocating.  It is 3:40am and like most nights I am up listening to her breathe, Last night I thought she died but she took a deep breath and next morning feeling pretty good. But dr said even without expensive test and chemo and radiation she hasn't long to live.  Most of these post are old and I hope this may help your dog. Just type in nasal cancer and it will explain what is  going on with your dog but see Vet to be sure.  I hope this helps someone out there  that have questions. I am going to miss my Daisy Mae but won't let her suffer with this disease. My daughter is fighting a brain tumor at this time too.  I am so stressed.
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Avatar universal
Same thing with my shihtzu, this started in just the past couple months, never a problem before.  After running her to emergency and the vet twice finding nothing wrong with her (clear lungs, no fever, she eats and drinks water) they  suggested that I try a antihistamine like Benadryl giving her 1/4 of a 25ml dose for her weight of 15lbs.  This clears her up for several hours but the problem still exists after the Benadryl wears off!  She is miserable and looks at me for help but I feel helpless.  I give her the Benadryl and use a humidifier at night so I can sleep without worrying about her suffocating in the night.  This seems to be a common thing with flat nose dogs.  Let me know if this works for your dog.  Best of luck, Jeannie
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1 Comments
I have 7 yr shyizu he just started getting stiff couldn't breathe it last for bout a minute 2 months ago it happen he's ok now scary
Avatar universal
I saw your comment and it's 7 years after but I wanted to let you know that I lost a dog earlier this year because of the vet's misdiagnosis with his breathing problem as well. He was not a year old and was a rescue because people kept 'discarding' him for not being active enough. I was visiting my parents and just fell in love with this little angel rescue of my sister's with his delicate demeanor (no doubt caused by his health issues). One day when he was 10 months old I saw him in the prayer position breathing heavily and it exacerbated over the next couple of days. I took him to a vet who just put him on a drip (my poor baby on a saline drip that makes you feel colder, in January!) and diagnosed all sorts of issues with him over the next couple of days including clearing his anus of a discharge that he claimed was the cause of Max's discomfort.
When the breathing became even more uncomfortable, going from wheezing to snorting, I changed to 2 other vets, all of whom kept putting him on drips with one tentatively suggesting heart trouble but no proper diagnosis. The last vet, who charged a bomb and got x rays taken (finally) advised Max be put on a limited diet and that it was probably going to take time to improve. BUT, it got worse. My poor little child was sitting up one entire day with his paws in my hands because lying down was probably too painful (I know this now and some instinct made me sit up with his paws in my hands, although I didn't know why then only that he wanted me too)
He slept in my sister's room on the first floor but that night he somehow brought himself to my door and scratched on it, and I brought him inside to sleep. The poor tiny child just wanted to ease the pain and likely imagined I could help him as I had for some time earlier that day. I woke to grunting and snorting sounds much later that night and saw him circling round in his bed almost mindless with the pain. I tried to do what I could but he rushed to the door and with his head at an impossible angle, because he could not get the air in, pushed at it. I opened the door and he rushed out trying to get a breath. I picked him up and took him to a vet's emergency where after trying to give him oxygen, they THEN advised we rush him to a hospital where there was better equipment. While we were getting the address, he died in my arms on that cold steel table after gasping for breath for what seemed like an eternity. It happened 3 months ago and I still cry buckets when I remember. In the last hour of his life I'd kept whispering to him to go and that I released him from any bonds that were keeping his soul tied to that pain racked body. I can't imagine why and for what he deserved such agony in his little time on earth and I needed to write all this to let you know the pain and sadness hasn't lessened for me and the guilt will likely never go away. I can now think of so many things I could've tried but also know for a fact that with the information I had then, I would probably still have waited for a doctor's opinion. All I can hope for is that my Max is happy and pain free now, and when my soul finally goes to eternity, I am able to meet with my little baby's joyful one then.
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2 Comments
My dog had collapsed trachea, she was only 4, was diagnosed at 2, it got worse and worse, I managed it the best I could, she was my heart dog, my everything, she had bad episodes but also had lots of good days in between. Unfortunately last month  I went through a similar ending with my baby, one morning she started gasping and gasping , walking drunk like, trying to cough her airway open, my vet was closed for training, I didn't even have anywhere to take her, frantically trying to get ahold of somewhere I could take her, I knew by this point she was just going to die in the car on the way there anyways, she was now laying, face wet with saliva with very laboured breathing, so all I could do was comfort her as she gasped for air and died in my arms, it was the worst thing I could have ever imagined, I remember every little detail, blue toungne, eyes stopped blinking at some points while gasping, i thought she was dead then half a min later would start gasping again, maybe these were mini strokes while dying , I'm not positive,at first I tryed cpr and breathing into her snout, but I knew this was it, all I could do was hold her to her and let her know I was there with her. I watched her body slowly shut down in front of me, I'm traumatized from what I saw, notones ever died in front of me before. That sweet little soul deserved so much more time on this earth and she didn't deserve to suffer like that at the end. She was my child and unlike any other dog I have ever owned, she was more human like and we had a bond I know which is a once in a life time thing. Vets are so uneducated about this, I mostly had to do all the research myself, i figured it out myself it was collapsed trachea , they confirmed it with X-rays. My other dog, her brother ,has skin problems, I also had to figure out why, a bath routine and certain foods to avoid myself. i have never gone to any vets around here who have figure out a thing for me,I've paid them thousands of dollars over the years for them to figure out nothing for me, they would repeat things almost word for word by textbook and then try to sell me the food which they get commission on. Point is ..Lesson learned, I trust my gut now and research as much as possible,vets really don't know everything nor do they know your dog as well as you do, hopefully as medicine evolves there will be specialized areas for vets to branch off into, I believe they only scratch the surface of learning most things because there is so much they need to know. As for my rainbow bridge baby, they say time will heal, but I still cry everyday, the pain is just as raw as the first day, I'm lucky to have had her in my life, she's made me a better person, i miss her so much though, her personality and little soul would light up the room.all I can hope is someday we all are united with our little fur-children.
This just broke my heart I could never imagine going through this with my dog, I have a jug pug called Larry he's a jack Russell and pug mix and I worry about his breathing all the time, I am so sorry for what you have went through, max will be at peace now, and you shouldn't feel guilty for anything, you did everything you could I hope eventualy you will look back and see the loving and happy memories you have with your baby and not always see the painful ones, rip max xx
Avatar universal
Hi
I live in England and have Pug (Nellie) who is seven years old, she has had the reversed sneezing since being young and I agree stroking under her chin soothes this and has never caused her any problems, however she has had two seizures two years part and after an MRI scan the vet determined it was a soft palette issue and the cost for the surgery would be over £2000 which we cannot afford and the insurance wont cover.
She now sleeps and holds her breath and comes up gasping for air which we have put down to her weight?  I have now got Nellie on a diet (she's not obese or anything) but I worry and nudge her every time I think she is holding her breath. Nellie is active dog and shows no other health concerns.
Has anyone got any tips as I love her to bits
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Avatar universal
Lucky ia 4 year old min terrier we live amongst a vineyard when ive been out and get gome he started doing it then as he insists i walk him it becomes quite distressing his nose runs and he begs to get picked up and that never happens for the last week its happen during the night 20 minutes has been longest getting scary he is not at all sociable so the vet would be out ofvthe question
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1 Comments
The vet would be out of the question?? Why have you got a dog? Idiot.
Avatar universal
Thank you so much for your info. I have a 8 year old min pin and when he gets excited or running around he will do it. It's almost like he needs some water or need to calm down. When he has his next vet visit I will bring it up. You have put my mind at ease for now.....
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Avatar universal
Hi I have a 4 year old Jack Russell cross yorkie I was at work when sis in law phoned to tell me my dog was choking and couldn't breath she said it lasted a couple of minutes or so  and he also did the same last night but only lasted seconds I have no idea what it is and if it could be the same as I have seen on her about reverse sneeze he seems fine now after I checked him over but sister in law was scared he was a gonner as it was that bad but as there's no vets open at this time of night on a Sunday I have no idea what to do any advice would be appreciated thank you.
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Avatar universal
hey texvet how is your dog? my abby today did the reverse sneeze today.. scared the heck out us! i feel your pain. I plan on taking my dog to the vet asap as well.
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Avatar universal
hi did you ever find out what caused your dog to vomit when excited have the same thing here with a 7 year old yorkie cross , vets cant find problem after several x rays and dye test s scopes etc thanku
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Avatar universal
our 1 yr old miniature Chihuahua has this so called "reverse sneezing", we told the vet during a visit and she nodded her head saying "uh huh" then giving us allergy meds, as if we weren't saying it plain enough (this wasn't our usual vet but a new one that joined the practice since our last visit which had been over a year), anyway we told her it wasn't allergy related because Lilly only has these episodes when she gets excited, and its more than scary because you can tell she is struggling to breath, we try messaging the throat etc.. that used to work, but lately it has got worse to where that no longer helps. after reading here i feel Lilly may have the collapsed trachea thing vs reverse sneezing. plan on another vet visit tomorrow or asap, any advise on what to do? especially to get Lilly help and get the vet to listen to us? These episodes clearly stress lily, and we love her, its like watching our child suffocate.
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Avatar universal
Best, most thorough answer I've read all day.  This answer is what people are looking for when they post a question, not the accusatory, judgemental ones I've been reading this morning.  
Thank you for taking the time to write this.
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10466510 tn?1410333409
My 4yr old beaglebull does the same thing. No indication why she is doing it. It is scary and it must be scary for her too..I have seen the same symptoms listed it must be some medical reason why..When ever i take her to the vet darn if i don't forget to ask..
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Avatar universal
Couldn't agree more, a dog is a dog no matter how big or small. They have different feeding needs to us, and should be walked not carried.
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462827 tn?1333168952
This thread is 6 years old...Comments/questions attached to the end of a thread this old tend to go unnoticed.....You'll have better luck posting a NEW question within this forum, for better responses...

However, a breathing problem, as serious as what you describe, needs to be evaluated by your Vet ASAP....It wouldn't be fair to your dog for a public forum to throw out a bunch of guesses....Please, make your dog an appointment, now!.....Good luck, Karla
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612551 tn?1450022175
I hope you are taking it to a vet or anyone who can at least look with a trained eye down the dog's throat.  

Eight years is still young for a small dog, I will guess it has something in its throat. Our Westie often chokes, and (it seems at least a couple of times a day) and it usually alarms me, but he gets whatever is causing the choke cleared in two or three hacks.  It doesn't seem to be related to eating, but he is a bit of a licker, himself and everything else, so he my lick up some hair of other irritant.

I didn't read this whole thread, I assume you did and didn't find much help therein, sorry.
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Avatar universal
Our dog is about 8yrs old chihuahua he's been having problems breathing. He grasp for air and tends to pee and poop while grasping for air. What causes this to happen?
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Avatar universal
what eles can you do to help them i have a black lab and she just started doing the snorting the reverse sneeze and it worries me i dont know what to do i have been rubbing her neck when she starts to do that it helps a little but not  much PLEASE help!!!!
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Avatar universal
My dog is a twelve year old lab. When he gets excited (going for a walk, swimming, etc) he starts gasping for air and throwing up this thick white mucuse! Please help! I took him to a verrt and they prerrtty much just gave me the run around said it may be filangia paraylisis? But heas fine normally just when he gets excited and can't stop throwing up!!!!!?
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Avatar universal
I hold my dog with her head down and pat her back like your trying to burp a baby until the snorting noise stops.  This has worked perfectly everytime for me.  Please try!
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Avatar universal
Your dog could have a small heart mermer, which I just found out my dog has, so that could explain why your dog has those breathing episodes. It's a condition that makes your heartbeat beat faster then normal whick can cause hyperventalating, I always wondered why my dog did the same turn out to be the a very small heart mermer. So good luck to all of you in finding out what is wronge with your dogs. It's always good to take your animals to the vet. Also if you take your dog to the vet for a check up the vet should always check the heart and lungs, you pay for the check up make sure your vet is checking your dogs heart and lungs. Thank you. Ash.
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Avatar universal
Just got a shih shuz about a year old, having the same problem with him, went to the vet and he had earmites. Don't know if that was the cause of it but just waiting it out to see. If dogs are allergic to fleas maybe mites too? He was given to me in poor condition, my concern was heartworms, we get him checked for them and let you know.
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Avatar universal
Just got a shih shuz about a year old, having the same problem with him, went to the vet and he had earmites. Don't know if that was the cause of it but just waiting it out to see. If dogs are allergic to fleas maybe mites too? He was given to me in poor condition, my concern was heartworms, we get him checked for them and let you know.
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Avatar universal
tiggerboy, I also had no clue that a dog could have high blood pressure.  I also didn't know you could give your dog cough medicine.  I found out a couple of weeks ago that the pain meds that they give cats are for humans, also.  My cat had his teeth pulled and they gave him cherry flavored meds which made him foam at the mouth from the taste.  Wouldn't you think they would make them flavored especially for a dog or cat?
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