What's With this Sneezing/snorting???

[shelly]

Boy oh boy... if I had donated a dollar to the DRC every time you guys heard me out on one of our 'issues'.... 

      Here we go again... So last night Tori starts sneezing.  She used to sneeze sometimes after she ate a couple of times, but that ended months ago.... but last night she sounded like someone coming down with a cold.  She sneezed last night and then again on and off all day today.  She woke up very lethargic today, and  didn't really eat so I took her to the Vet.. she had a possible UTI 2 weeks ago, so wanted her checked again.  Vet said "dogs don't usually get colds", and he did not really see anything wrong - to just watch her... she perked up at the vet, so I guess he didn't see much reason for concern.      As soon as we came home she was back to just lying around (and sneezing on and off).  She has gotten lively at times when the boys came home from school, people went by,etc.  She ate a bit more too...She just had some food a bit ago,finished and then started barking at someone outside - and that's when this kind of snorting/ almost sounded like wheezing came on.  It must have only lasted about 6 - 8 seconds but felt longer....could it be the beginning of kennel cough?  I have never had a dog with that before, but my last dog did this snorting thing and he wound up w/ a tumor in his nose... I'm sure it's not that and she is only 2, but still I'm getting nervous.  could it be she ate something that scratched her throat?  Sniffed something up her nose (my crazy mind was thinking a bug of some kind)...Any way.. thanks for any suggestions!  THANKS!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Luca sometimes gets dirt or pollen or something in his throat I think. After he's been out and about in the yard, he'll snort and choke a bit and usually ends up spitting up some mucousy fluid. Then he's fine and I clean up. Hope Tori has something like this going on.

[shelly]

Thanks, "F"! Hope so... she hasn't been outside really yesterday or today, but now that I think of it, I was a cleaning freak last night.. maybe dust, furniture polish or something irritated her somehow... I didn't spray near her, but... do you think that would cause her to be so mopey?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I can't explain the mopey. But it certainly could be something irritated her throat. At any rate watchful waiting is a good idea.

[shelly]

I will thanks so much - AGAIN!
:O)

[Holly Doodle]

Hi Shelly! I just left you a message and then I saw this discussion. Holly has had two episodes of the snorting in the last couple of days too. It's almost like she is gagging or gasping for air or something, and it seems to last for around 30 seconds. WEIRD that they both have similar symptoms!

[shelly]

Yes! Isn't it weird! She didn't sneeze as much today but did that throat snorting thing about at least 4 times.Scared my poor son something awful. I don't know who I felt worse for Tori or my son. Funny ~ that it's mostly after she ate, or went outside to pee/poop and sniffed around.I googled kennel cough and watched some videos of what it sounds like and she definitely DOESN"T sound like th e videos... It's more of a sucking in air with a really loud sniff kinda'. I don't know if she irritated her nose or throat, or what.. maybe it's like a gaggin of some post nasal drip ??? if she's not better by Monday - back to the vet we go! Hopefully it just some nasal irritation or something!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

When my guys had kennel cough the sound they made didn't sound like wheezing. It sounded more like they had something caught in their throat and were trying to cough it up. They also made that sound two or three times an hour during the first couple of days (before the antibiotics kicked in). The sound was definitely coming from low in their throat, not their nasal passages. Hopefully this is just some sort of irritation, and she'll be back to herself quickly.

[shelly]

Well... looks like we're off to the vet again tomorrow... Tori's still sneezing and snorting... SOMETHING is definitely not right with her nose... the poor baby... it's so sad to listen to...Keeping my fingers crossed that it's nothing more than possible congestion...I'm NOT leaving this time until the inside of her nose and mouth are checked. Unfortunately, I can't bring her until I get home from work at 4. I already took off Friday to get her checked and I only have 10 more days of work..Wish me luck.....

LACI - I'll be in touch! How is Holly?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I am glad for this post. A few weeks ago, Fudge was sniffing in some of our ivy and all of a sudden started sneezing a lot. She just kept sneezing. I was worried she snorted something up her nose. It continued so I took her to the vet...she sneezed all morning and then when we got to the vets she stopped. She also started doing something weird and started snorting too....almost like she was choking, just kept sucking in air (hard to describe). Anyway, the vet prescribed an anti inflammatory drug and it really helped. I was very worried she inhaled something or had something up her nose, and the vet was going to do an X-ray next, but it has gone away. Good luck to Tori.

[shelly]

WOW! Laurie. What you are describing is EXACTLY what Tori is doing.... It's been going on since Friday morning... hopefully the vet will be able to do something.... as I too, am VERY worried she inhaled something....she never really goes outside by herself, but you never know. Thanks for your post. It made me feel better already!

[Dr. Judith P. LaVorgna]

Shelley..be very careful...here in Florida we are having a terrible time with Canine flu leading to pneumonia. Many groomers won't take a dog unless the dog has had the canine influenza shot. I had a rescue girl here several weeks ago...she came in sneezing and then it lessened...a little coughing, sneezing again. I took her into my Vet and he said he thought it was the beginning of canine influenza but too late to give her a shot. He had me go to the drugstore (I have my own three and then the rescue girl Doodle) and buy a bottle of cheryphenlemine (an allery tablet 4 mg for children)...can't read the darn small print on the bottle now for correct spelling, but a pharmacist will know. I threw out the paper the Vet wrote it on, in fact it was under the counter not out...and on the directions says it is for sneezing runny nose, and respiratory problems. It's an allergy pill apparently for children. the one I have is a brand called "Major".which I bought at Publix pharmacy. The Vet said to give one to all four dogs in the a.m. and p.m. with food , And to make sure I watched that each ate theirs. By the time I got back home with the rescue girl and the bottle...arrrgh my own three were sneezing and coughing. Oh great! I put one tablet in each dinner bowl wrapped in cottage cheese and then the same thing in the morning. The sneezing of all four was terrible that day, but by the next and the third pill day for all it was greatly abating. I could tell the 4 mg did make them sleepy a bit...but it worked. You might want to check with your Vet...if it is the flu or strain of the canine flu it can turn into pneumonia. It certainly worked on my 4. He told me the sneeze spray is about 20' spray and highly contagious. Now, he didn't give antibiotics...just this over the counter.written 'script" for me to go and ask for.....and my rescue girl was really in trouble with the sneezing amd snorting. I would definitely get to your Vet...tell him a friend had it go to all three of her home dogs from a shelter rescue dog and this over the counter worked beautifully. I think if my dogs sneeze twice a year that is a lot...whenever I walked in from the Vet that day AND all 4 were sneezing I started to get really worried. I called him immediately and he just said to what I told you with every dog. On another forum tonight a gal reported her 5 year old Doodle pased away from canine influenza which turned to pneumonia after she had been boarded over mother's day weekend. and that dog was placed on IV fluids and antibiotics, but was died within hours. The constant sneezing my Vet said is a first clue...and of course he was seeing that this girl was a sneeze machine. I did call when I got home to ask what to do since all of mine were sneezing and he said script it to all four dogs for at least three days. Another day or two if needed.. After what I listened to around here and what I know about the canine flu...just go with caution. It is a deadly virus for dogs and once they have it they will pass it along to other dogs with whom an infected one comes in contact. Double check with your Vet tho. But be persistant. I had to report it to the shelter said the Vet which I did. Good luck...it can be caught outside fence to fence...walking past a dog with it...etc. Just be careful and good luck. I would talk to your Vet first thing in the morning and tell him or her there is no improvement. Mine had been mopey and lethargic the morning I went to the Vet...but I would double check with your Vet first thing in the morning and explain what is going on. Good luckm Judy

[shelly]

Oh MY gosh, JUDY! Thank you ! I just know she was not right....I am sooo worried....I am going to e-mail them right NOW. SHe still is sneezing this morning. she's ok when she sleeps... doesn't wake from sneezing, but she had a bit more 'spunk' this weekend.. playing and eating, but then gets mopey, then perks up. Thanks so much for your post! I'll be in touch later!!!