My Chiwawa sounds like hes choking what can I do?

Question

I have had him for 3 months and he will cough and it sounds like he is choking? I have taken him to the vet but when we go he stops. So they can't tell me what it is. Please help if you can

Answer 1

Coughing is a symptom of heart disease or he could have have tracheal collapse, which is very common in small breeds.

You should get him a vet check.

Answer 2

Your vet should deworm the dog regardless of whether or not he coughs in the office. You should request a heartworm test as well, to make sure that is not a possibility. Monthly fecal sample evaluations should be done until the patient is completely clear of all parasites. Intestinal parasites, when abundant, often are forced to migrate through the body (usually through the lungs) to find nutrition.

If parasite involvement can be ruled out through testing and deworming, and your dog still has a cough, x-rays should be taken of the chest and neck (up to the top of the trachea) to determine if your dog is suffering from a collapsed or collapsing trachea. This is common in small-breed dogs, although more so in dogs with short noses. It can happen if the dog is on a leash instead of a harness and suffers constant pressure on the trachea as well.

Answer 3

because of the chihuahua's short nose they tend to wheeze and also snore in some cases (mine does).

i also found this on the "for dummies" website:

Collapsing trachea is a problem for Toy dogs of many breeds. The symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and exhaustion. Although it appears more often in dogs older than 5 years, an occasional puppy has it from birth. To understand the condition, think of the trachea as a straw made of cartilage that carries air from the neck to the chest. When the cartilage collapses, breathing becomes difficult, kind of like sipping soda through a flattened straw.

Your vet can treat the condition with medication, but if you smoke, your Chi's prognosis may be poor. Secondhand smoke is a proven contributing factor to the problem . . . and smoke tends to settle low, where a little dog's nose is.

Answer 4

A lot of times my chihuahua makes a noise like he is choking when he gets excited, and after 3 years he finally did it in front of the vet. The vet told me it was a reverse sneeze. It doesn't sound like any kind of sneeze to me, but more than one person has now told me this. Until someone else tells me something differently, I'm going with the reverse sneeze theory :) Hope your pups ok!

Answer 5

Take him back to the vets and keep a diary of when his cough occurs and is worse

ie when lying down, after excercise etc a cough can be a symptom of many conditions and your dog needs diagnosed

good luck

Answer 6

All chihuahua's do something called the "reverse sneeze" it sounds horrid but they are okay. Take him into the vet to make sure that is what is going on and then buy a good chihuahua book.

Answer 7

Take him to a vet and keep a record of when he coughs and what if any does he bring out.

Answer 8

He probably has asthma. The cure for mine was an ionic breeze from ebay. He hasn't had an attack since a couple of days after I got it. Any ionic air freshener with the removeable and cleanable metal plates inside will work.

Answer 9

certain parasites can cause a dog to make a choking sound... I would also have them see how big the opening of his esophagus is.... to small would make him choke

Answer 10

Do some googling on "collapsed trachea" and "reverse sneezing". Both quite common with these breeds.
Best of luck and keep bugging your vet!