Joined
·
936 Posts
Hi all,
I had a minor heart attack last night when I got home and heard Button coughing and/or gagging when she came out to greet me.
My first thought was that she had been chewing on something she shouldn't have, and picked her up to try to soothe her, wondering what to do. Then the coughing and/or choking stopped.
She seemed fine, so I gave her dinner, and afterward, started playing with her. Then the coughing reflex started up again. I scooped her up and took her to our local animal emergency clinic.
The vet there checked her carefully, and diagnosed "reverse sneezing", which seems to be common among toy-sized dogs. I've always had large dogs, mostly mutts, so I'd never seen this before except in old dogs. She (the vet) showed me how to check Button's gums to make sure they're not turning blue so I could be sure she was getting enough air, and how to hold her and soothe her to get her to relax. It seems that this happens from time to time with toy breeds when they get overexcited. When they find that they're having a problem breathing, they then panic, and it starts a breathing crisis. Soothing the dog is the best way to break the cycle.
The vet also heard her coughing, and was able to diagnose the problem in fairly short order. She also fed Button about a tablespoon of canned dog food to make sure there weren't any obstructions or vomiting involved, so we were both satisfied with the diagnosis.
I don't mind saying that I was scared half to death last night. I was SO sure the little twirp had eaten something she shouldn't have, and was SO relieved to learn that it's a "toy breed thing", and fairly common, and easy to calm down, requiring no medications, just some TLC and hugs and snuggles. :wub::wub::wub:
I had a minor heart attack last night when I got home and heard Button coughing and/or gagging when she came out to greet me.
My first thought was that she had been chewing on something she shouldn't have, and picked her up to try to soothe her, wondering what to do. Then the coughing and/or choking stopped.
She seemed fine, so I gave her dinner, and afterward, started playing with her. Then the coughing reflex started up again. I scooped her up and took her to our local animal emergency clinic.
The vet there checked her carefully, and diagnosed "reverse sneezing", which seems to be common among toy-sized dogs. I've always had large dogs, mostly mutts, so I'd never seen this before except in old dogs. She (the vet) showed me how to check Button's gums to make sure they're not turning blue so I could be sure she was getting enough air, and how to hold her and soothe her to get her to relax. It seems that this happens from time to time with toy breeds when they get overexcited. When they find that they're having a problem breathing, they then panic, and it starts a breathing crisis. Soothing the dog is the best way to break the cycle.
The vet also heard her coughing, and was able to diagnose the problem in fairly short order. She also fed Button about a tablespoon of canned dog food to make sure there weren't any obstructions or vomiting involved, so we were both satisfied with the diagnosis.
I don't mind saying that I was scared half to death last night. I was SO sure the little twirp had eaten something she shouldn't have, and was SO relieved to learn that it's a "toy breed thing", and fairly common, and easy to calm down, requiring no medications, just some TLC and hugs and snuggles. :wub::wub::wub: