Pomeranian Choking On His Own Air

[swain]

Hi everyone,

I have a 14 month old pomeranian who seems to choke on his own air sometimes. His little fit lasts about 15 - 20 seconds each time. He doesn't seem too bothered after it happens, but it sounds awful. Anyone else have this problem? Or heard of it?

Thanks,

[Poodle wrangler]

I'm not sure what it could be? How long has it been going on?

When my dog had kennel cough, it sounded like a cross between a cough and attempt to vomit.

I think you need to see the vet, to be sure he's OK.

[rugerfly]

I thinik i know what you mean.....is it more of a snort or backwards breathing?

[poodlefan]

Elongated soft palate perhaps.. that's the "reverse sneezing" sound.

[swain]

I thinik i know what you mean.....is it more of a snort or backwards breathing?

Yeah......exactly. It sounds like he is going to die but then he recovers and he is fine. Because he gets over it really quickly and is back to his normal self i don't investigate further. Sounds like i'm a bad mum.........but he really does seem ok. :p

[Ittybitty_]

Hi Swain :p

I know exactly what you mean.. It is his 'trachea' that he is having difficulties with.. Its hard to explain.. But there is a little flap of skin down his throat, that sometimes overlaps his trachea when he is trying to breathe, therefore making it rather difficult, and he makes 'backwards snorting' sort of noises.

Some Poms suffer from 'collapsing trachea' the entire trachea comes together at times when they try to breathe. There is an operation that can be done to fix the problem.

When he does it, you can try blocking his nose, so he has to force air through his mouth, or, you can stick your finger down his throat, and push that flap of skin back. You will feel it straight away.

Alot of Poms get past this problem by the time they are 2 years old. One of my boys had it really bad as a youngster & he is now 3, and very rarely does it.

If you want any more help just ask

Cheers

Roxie

[swain]

Hi Swain :p

I know exactly what you mean.. It is his 'trachea' that he is having difficulties with.. Its hard to explain.. But there is a little flap of skin down his throat, that sometimes overlaps his trachea when he is trying to breathe, therefore making it rather difficult, and he makes 'backwards snorting' sort of noises.

Some Poms suffer from 'collapsing trachea' the entire trachea comes together at times when they try to breathe. There is an operation that can be done to fix the problem.

When he does it, you can try blocking his nose, so he has to force air through his mouth, or, you can stick your finger down his throat, and push that flap of skin back. You will feel it straight away.

Alot of Poms get past this problem by the time they are 2 years old. One of my boys had it really bad as a youngster & he is now 3, and very rarely does it.

If you want any more help just ask

Cheers

Roxie

Thanks so much Roxie........ should i still go to the vet or just try those couple of things you mentioned? Hopefully he'll grow out of it!

Thanks again!!

[SueM]

Both my chihuahuas do it the older girl who is now 7 has done it all her life it doesnt seem to effect her, she does it when she gets excited more than any other time...

[Daisy]

Does anyone know if this can affect larger dogs? I have a foster who is a mastiff x who makes a funny sort of snorting in noise now and again. He will do it several times in a row and relaly seems to be gasping to breathe, but then it will be over and he is fine. It doesn't happen very often.

Edited May 28, 2007 by Daisy

[Ittybitty_]

Unless you opt for surgery, there isnt anything the vet can do.... I havent had surgery done on any of my Poms for it. They are all fine..

I find certain foods can cause it.. Mainly Dairy, or really dry/dusty foods.

I have issues with some dry foods such as Eukanuba, for some reason they all start 'snorting' if they are fed Eukanuba dry.

As far as dry/dusty foods, I tried mine on Supercoat kibble, and they couldnt eat it without snorting either, as it was extremely dusty and crumbly.

So they are all on Royal Canin, as it is already a moist biscuit, and doesnt 'crumble' into a dust.

WHen your pom does it, just try and keep him as calm as possible, because sometimes they scare themselves which makes them do it even more.

Cheers

Roxie,

[~Anne~]

Surgery is the only way to correct it and is only needed in severe cases.

The snorting is caused by the tip of the palate flapping into the trachea during respiration. They also are more likely to snore, gag, or retch, and in severe instances, they may collapse if the airflow is obstructed completely.

An elongated palate is usually found in brachy breeds and other small breeds. It is not common in dogs the size of Mastiffs but it can affect any breed.

Edited again to add this article. It should answer most questions. :p

Reverse Sneezing (Pharyngeal Gag Reflex)

Authored by: Becky Lundgren, DVM

Reverse sneezing is a disconcerting event in which a dog makes unpleasant respiratory sounds that sound like it is dying -- or will die in the next few minutes. Reverse sneezing sounds similar to the honking noise made by a dog with a collapsing trachea, but reverse sneezing is a far simpler condition that usually does not need any treatment. It is called reverse sneezing because it sounds a bit like a dog inhaling sneezes. The sound the dog makes can be so scary that many owners have rushed in a panic to emergency clinics in the middle of the night.

The most common cause of reverse sneezing is an irritation of the soft palate and throat that results in a spasm. During the spasm, the dog’s neck will extend and the chest will expand as the dog tries harder to inhale. The problem is that the trachea has narrowed and it’s hard to get the normal amount of air into the lungs.

Anything that irritates the throat can cause this spasm and subsequent sneeze. Causes include excitement, eating or drinking, exercise intolerance, pulling on a leash, mites, pollen, foreign bodies caught in the throat, perfumes, viruses, household chemicals, allergies, and post-nasal drip. If an irritant in the house is the cause, taking the dog outside can help simply because the dog will no longer be inhaling the irritant. Brachycephalic dogs (those with flat faces, such as Pugs and Boxers) with elongated soft palates occasionally suck the elongated palate into the throat while inhaling, causing reverse sneezing. Small dogs are particularly prone to it, possibly because they have smaller throats.

Reverse sneezing itself rarely requires treatment. If the sneezing stops, the spasm is over. Oftentimes, you can massage the dog’s throat to stop the spasm; sometimes it’s effective to cover the nostrils, which makes the dog swallow, which clears out whatever the irritation is and stops the sneezing. If the episode doesn't end quickly, you can try depressing the dog’s tongue, which opens up the mouth and aids in moving air through the nasal passages. Treatment of the underlying cause, if known, is useful. If mites are in the laryngeal area, your veterinarian may use drugs such as ivermectin to get rid of the mites. If allergies are the root of the problem, your veterinarian may prescribe antihistamines. Because reverse sneezing is not a severe problem, do not worry about leaving your dog home alone; if it occurs when you're not there, the episode will most likely end on its own.

If reverse sneezing becomes a chronic problem rather than an occasional occurrence, your veterinarian may need to look up the nasal passages (rhinoscopy), and may even need to take a biopsy to determine the cause of the problem. Sometimes, however, no cause can be identified.

Some dogs have these episodes their entire lives; some dogs develop the condition only as they age. In most dogs, however, the spasm is a temporary problem that goes away on its own, leaving the dog with no after-effects.

Cats are less likely to reverse sneeze than dogs are. However, owners should always have the veterinarian examine the cat in case it's feline asthma, and not a reverse sneeze. Feline asthma requires more treatment than reverse sneezing does.

Date Published: 6/26/2006 10:54:00 AM

Source: www.veterinarypartner.com

Edited May 28, 2007 by Puggles

[swain]

Thanx for all the replies. He does seem to be worse when he's excited. Will try some of the suggestions though. It has put my mind to ease!

Thanks again :p

[Daisy]

Thanks from me for the info too. My boy only does it very occasionally so I guess it is not something to get too worried about. I had noticed that when it does occur it is often as soon as he has finished eating his kibble, so maybe it is too dry. Might start moistening it for him and see if that helps.

:p

[rugerfly]

YEP what they all said.... sorry i didnt get back to you

[swain]

No probs! Thanx

[BC]

My staffy x does this occasionally, and as Roxiekda said, I block his nose and force him to breathe through his mouth and then it goes away.

He goes through stages, sometimes he will do it for a couple of days, but then he wont for 6 months.

[Ittybitty_]

Alot of people who I have spoken to regarding the surgery, reckon that it can do more harm than good.

[Ashka]

Does anyone know if this can affect larger dogs? I have a foster who is a mastiff x who makes a funny sort of snorting in noise now and again. He will do it several times in a row and relaly seems to be gasping to breathe, but then it will be over and he is fine. It doesn't happen very often.

I knew one English springer bitch who did it occasionally.

The usual block nose and push the nose down onto the chest area fixed it every time.

Some Cavaliers are prone to it too.

Best

[swain]

Alot of people who I have spoken to regarding the surgery, reckon that it can do more harm than good.

That's interesting. I'm definately going to try holding his nose. Of course lastnight he didn't do it.........i kept waiting and waiting so i could try some of the suggestions! :D

[shoemonster]

Ed does this when he's excited, I block his nose and it stops it straight away