Could my chihuahua possibly have Tracheal Collapse?

Question

Everytime my chihuahua get's excited he snarts making honking noises. Almost like he's struggling to breathe. Then after about 30 seconds he stops.
I thought it was a normal thing but I just now read that it's a symtom of Tracheal Collapse and that it could trigger something serious.
Is it actually a normal thing or is it signs of Tracheal Collapse?

Answer 1

a lot of time the honking sound it because the dog is try to loosen up the soft palate. What happens is the soft palate in the back of the throat can get caught up in the entrance to the trachea when they inhale too much air..ie when they are excited. Either you can let him continue honking or you can try expressing air out of his lungs by pushing gently but firmly on his chest to force more air out so it dislodges. This problem is common in all dogs and the only way to completely fix it is through an unnecessary and costly surgery.

Answer 2

Collapsed Trachea In Chihuahuas

Answer 3

Many people love the idea of owning a dog but one thing that they have to keep in mind often times, is that the dog needs to be trained. While the pet may look heart-breakingly cute when it's in a shelter or at the pound, picking out the dog is only the first part of the relationship between dog owner and the animal. Many people don't understand that they have to put time and effort into socializing the dog.

An unsocialized dog will intimidate others, tear up the home, and will create an environment that can become so bad that the it will have to be returned. Many times when dogs have to be returned to shelters or to other resources, it will end up euthanized, which is very heartbreaking. All of this can be spared if a person learns the various techniques in order to socialize the dog.

One thing that they have to understand is that the he wants to be told what to do. It's in the canine nature to follow a leader. The dog will be more than willing to obey the leadership of its master. Here's a look at some common techniques that are used in dog training:

"Dog Whispering"

This is a technique that has been around for a while, but gained national notoriety over the last 10 years. Some people might hear this term and wonder how in the world whispering to a dog can train it! Whispering isn't meant to be taken literally in this case. As trainers have shown, whispering is a term that refers to connecting with a being or an entity on a very deep and almost spiritual level. When it comes to dog training techniques, dog whispering involves careful observation of the dog's behavior and actions.

It literally entails getting inside the mind and the behavior system of the canine. When a person uses dog whispering techniques, they interact with the dog on the canine level. Again, one the most common mistakes that people make is treating the dog like a small human being.

"Reward Training"

Reward training is very simple and it's one of the older tricks that works. This is a simple method of training the dog by positive reinforcement. Once he does what it is told to do, it receives a treat. How this works is that the dog owner must entice the dog towards the treat. Once the canine develops awareness for the treat, it develops a strong desire for it. When the desire for it is extremely strong, the dog owner pulls back. Then the dog receives a command and when the dog obeys the command, it receives the treat. The object is to make the dog associate a treat with the command.

"Clicker Training"

Other dog training techniques include one that is similar to reward training, which is called clicker training. How this works is that the clicker is incorporated to get the dog's attention. The clicker is clicked as a form of communication with the dog. It learns that there is a command or reward associated in conjunction with the clicker. Many people claim that this is fun, and they actually make a game with the dog by using the clicker for their dog training tasks.

"Ultrasonic Whistle"

Last, a relatively new form of dog training technique is called the ultrasonic whistle. This works because the ultrasonic sound is only heard by the dog. When the owner is trying to communicate a command, or stop the dog from barking, they will blow on their whistle when they want to communicate a command to the dog. The benefit of this is that the humans can't hear this noise, but the dog can hear it, and they will learn to associate the sound with a command.

Dog training techniques aren't hard to incorporate, but they are something that absolutely must be incorporated from the time a dog owner brings their new dog home. No matter how old or how young the dog is, they will need training. Once they are trained properly, they will be a wonderful addition to one's family.

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Answer 4

My friends chihuahua (the same one that had strep throat, if anyone's keeping up) was EXACTLY like this. He would get excited and it sounded like his throat was SO dry, kinda like if you breathe hard through your mouth for a while and it feels like the back of your throat is vibrating, he sounded terrible. Sometimes it would give way to a sort of wheezing, honking like noise. But it was always for about 30-40 seconds or less. The first time I saw him do it, I freaked. I thought he was going into convulsions or something. But he had asthma, which I'm told is pretty common in chihuahuas. (not sure about other small breeds) I looked up tracheal collapse since I didn't know anything about it, and it said pretty much the same thing as listed in the answers above. My opinion, he has asthma, but it's best to err on the side of caution-take him to the vet anyways. Good luck to both of you!

Answer 5

RE:
Could my chihuahua possibly have Tracheal Collapse?
Everytime my chihuahua get's excited he snarts making honking noises. Almost like he's struggling to breathe. Then after about 30 seconds he stops.
I thought it was a normal thing but I just now read that it's a symtom of Tracheal Collapse and that it could trigger something...

Answer 6

HiTami! Most unlikely. Typical lack of air, it is problems for a small breeds( small volume a lung ).

Yes, Toy breeds of dogs are very prone to a genetic abnormality called tracheal collapse. The trachea is made up of cartilaginous rings in the shape of a C that are fibrous and soft on their innermost side. In collapsing trachea the inner soft portion of the windpipe is sucked into the airway during inspiration, partially occluding it. With time, the membranes lining the trachea become inflamed causing a chronic dry, hacking cough.

The condition is easily diagnosed by massaging the trachea near the dog's chest for a minute or two. Dogs with this problem go into a coughing spell as soon as you finish the massage. When the problem flares up, dogs are given a cough suppressant and an anti-inflammatory drug such as prednisone until the problem resolves. Air humidifiers are also helpful. These dog do well wearing a harness rather than collars and limited exercise until the cough is better. Various surgical techniques are used to attempt to cure this condition. They meet with mixed success. Please look article: http://www.askedweb.com/askedweb/Dog_Cough/

If distrust, I would recommend a thorough examination by your veterinarian.
Jason Homan

Answer 7

There is another similar condition called a "reverse sneeze". It can sound similar but is harmless. The fact that your dog stops after 30 seconds seems more like reverse sneezing. A simple test you can do at home for tracheal collapse would be to put slight pressure on his throat. If he starts to cough, that would indicate a problem with the trachea (take him to a vet to confirm the diagnosis). If not you can wait until your next regular visit and mention your concern to your vet (I hope he's familiar with small dogs because some vets don't know the difference either). If it is a trachea problem, they can put him on meds to help strengthen his trachea, if it is reverse sneezing then it's just something the dog will do.

Answer 8

I breed chihuahuas and some have it and some don't it is a spasm in the diaphram. Hold the nose closed so they have to breathe through thier mouth. This should stop the episode.
If it is really bad I give them a 1/4 of a chlortrimaton.

Answer 9

Tracheal collapse is seen alot in small breed dogs. It is not a serious condition, and is rarely life threatening. It happens because the trachea (or windpipe) begins acting like a vacuum when he is moving air too fast. Which is why it happens when he gets excited. There is a surgical procedure that can be done, but it is expensive and usually has to be referred. Many people just treat it with steroids and try to keep the dog as calm as possible!

Answer 10

He could be experiencing what is called "reverse sneezing". It is not actually a sneeze but kind of looks like they are sneezing in instead of out and is actually a spasm of the soft tissue in the dogs throat/nose. You may want to check with a vet just to make sure, but if your pup has reverse sneezing, it is harmless and usually if you can get the dog to bark or massage there neck to make them swallow, it will go away.

Just another suggestion.