Dog Hacking Alot?

Question

my dog is a Chihuahua/corgi mix..i dont know how to describe really what hes going through its happened before a few times a year randomly but since last night its been pretty frequent on and off..its like hes hacking trying to get something up this has happened for like 2-3 years now but hes having it alot since last night..its not a cough the only way i can describe is like when you try to get phlegm up..hes also trembling when this is going on and his tail is down..hes recently had physical and all is well..any ideas what it can be and how we can help him..i was thinking it might be some sort of allergy or hair or dust causing it..if it is anyway we can help him?

thanks all..im pretty sure its the reverse sneezing from what i read about it..everythign matches up..we will take him to the vet so she can confirm and tells us how to treat it im thinking its either allergy related or cause of the air being to dry always around this time of the year it happenes

Answer 1

Maybe he has a cold. Or maybe it's just too dry in your house.

Try adding a humidifier and see if it goes away.

Answer 2

Seeing as he's mixed with Chihuahua it maybe reversed sneezing. Is he sort of crouching at the back end with his knees pointing out when he's making this noise? Normally this does not last for more than a few sends, but can go on for a few minutes when it's abad attack If so that's probably what it is. If that's the case it's harmless. 3 of my 4 Chihuahua's do it from time to time. It's a Chi thing. This is more likely to happen when they are over excited, been running a lot etc.

If it is reverse sneezing gently rubbing his throat whould help and calmly and quietly talking to him should help.

If it does not seem to be what I described you may want to go to the vet just to be sure all is well. Dogs are great at hiding health problems.

Answer 3

I think the reverse sneezing/coughing is correct.. My beagle mix does it as well.. they do get a look of panic, but it doesn't harm them.. I'd say go to the vet if it happens all the time.. (longer than 10 minutes at a time or more then 10 times a day), but from my experience with the other conditions mentioned.. (kennel cough etc.. ) they tend to actually cough up phlem.. reverse sneezing is like when the trachea is too small, so anything in the back of the throat. (water, dust..etc.) can trigger the "cough".. the bodies way of getting rid of the "blockage".. with no blockage nothing comes out...

Answer 4

Did he have his bordatella (kennel cough) booster? Even if so, it is much like the flu vaccine in humans, only covers the common types and they may still manage to come down with a different variety; airborne and extremely contagious. Since it is a virus there is no cure, however some vets give antibiotics to prevent secondary infections.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/kennel_cough.html
Could be allergies (common in fall) or even dry air if you've recently fired up the heater.
Another possibiity might be reverse sneezing; it often sounds like the dog is trying to hack up something. Reverse sneezing is thought to be caused by something tickling their soft palate (water, a dust mote...)
You can sometimes end an attack by gently stroking the dog's throat, or GENTLY pinching their nostrils shut.
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_ReverseSneezing.html
http://www.purinaone.com/dogcare_cond_atoz_article.asp?Seed=784&ArticleNumber=30071

Answer 5

This sounds a lot like what happens with my dachsund. We took him to the vet last year after he started hacking up and it turned out to be a 'reverse sneeze' that was caused by allergies. We give him half of a Benadryl when it gets bad, but if your dog is smaller you may need to go back to the vet for an alternative medicine. I recommend going to the vet again, just to be sure.

Answer 6

My Pomeranian/Pug mix has the same problem. I've had her checked and nothing seems amiss. I think she has narrow nasal passages and I think they dry out easily especially during the winter months. She does exactly the same as your dog and is very bad sometimes. I think the dust in the house during dry weather or when we burn the log burner irritates her bronchial tubes. When we turned up our humidifier the other day it seemed to stop her from a really bad bout and she hasn't coughed since. She seems fine and if your dog has had his checkups with the vet and hasn't recently been in contact with a dog with kennel cough (or of course been in a kennel himself) he is probably OK. It is distressing to watch however and my dog has done this for 6 years. She is still with us so I don't think it is anything more than that. Make sure you run a humidifier in dry weather.

Answer 7

Bordetella or commonly called kennel cough.
Kennel cough is a bronchitis characterized by a harsh, hacking cough which most people describe as sounding like “something stuck in my dog’s throat.” It is analogous to a chest cold for humans and is only a serious condition in special circumstances (see below); in general, it resolves on its own.. A vet can assess this situation better. Good luck.

Answer 8

Does this describe what your dog is doing?
http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dog-health/tracheal-collapse.aspx
I had a friend whose toy poodle had this condition. With this dog, she did not need surgery and would get this reaction sometimes when she got overly excited. Some have it worse than others. In any case, it's good to have a Vet take a look so you know for sure and find out what treatment is recommended.

Answer 9

Some toy breeds have a problem with their trachea being weak and they cough alot. They have trouble breathing. When this happens, gently lift the dogs chip upwards to relieve pressure on the trachea. I would put a call into the vet and maybe he can return your call with ideas.

Answer 10

i fotgot whats its called but my dogs are going through that now hacking and throwing up flem its very contagies 3 of my pets have it now give it antibiotics it will clear it right up but if its a puppy take it to the vet asap my dad 3 month old had it and now her lungs are bad :( she still might not make it ... but older dogs do better with it antibiotics will clear it up hope this helps!!

Answer 11

Get him to the vet 1st thing in the morning. tail down and trembling is not good. Hacking might be kennel cough.

Has he had his shots so he can't get parvo, distemper, etc??