Asthma???

[Joanna and Weezy]

Hi everyone! I'm new here, but have been reading your posts regularly for some time now. I haven't seen my doxie's problem yet in any of your posts. I have a 1 1/2 yr. old red, smooth doxie named Weezy. She's such a love! She seems to have asthma - can dogs get asthma? It seems to come upon her if she drinks her water too fast or gets too excited. Sometimes it just starts for no apparent reason. She starts making this awful wheezing sound (and I named her Weezy, not Wheezy!). She gets over it pretty quickly, so I've never mentioned it to the vet. Does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks,

Joanna

[Tanya]

Hi Joanna. Dogs can have asthma. I'm not sure of the treatment but a person I work with has a dog who has asthma and severe allergies. I want to say that his dog gets shots once in a while for it but not positive. I do know that the dog is having more trouble this year than normal. His dog will have an attack if he gets too excited or too much exercise. Best to have you Weezy checked just in case.
Welcome to the board. Sign up and stay a while!

[Mickamack]

My Mickey makes the same noise every so often. I've wondered about it too. He doesn't do it often and it only seems to happen when he get a little too worked up. For example, in his obedience class, all the dogs were much bigger and more aggressive than he was. He'd try to bark and be a big stud muffin, but he'd get himself worked up and I could almost guarantee one of those wheezing fits.

It's almost like he's hyperventilating. When he doesn this, we rub his chest and stomach and it seems to go away. But I'd say he only does it a few times a year, now that he's not in that class anymore.

I agree it sounds awful! I just assumed he was ok, since the episodes weren't often and didn't last long. But if others think it's something I should ask my vet, I'd really like to know. Please, any advice would be helpful for all of our wheezing doggies!

[isobelsmom]

When i had Digger (my 1st dachsie) he had these wheezing fits too. They came and went so intermittently that i didn't mention it either. Then i got Isobel and she does it too. I asked my vet and in her case it's not asthma (but dogs can get it). He said it was inverse sneezing. Basically a sneeze gets stuck the wrong way and they wheeze. She did it the other night when we met the new neighbors and their kids. She was so excited that she wheezed for many minutes. Rubbing their chest and back seems to help calm them and gets the attack under control.

I'd check with your vets to make sure, but i really don't think it's anything to worry about. Seems all the little wieners do it when they get happy http://dachsie.org/ubb/bounce.gif

mary and isobel

[Penny's Aunt]

I think what you're probably seeing is called a reverse sneeze; you'll notice that they inhale when they do it. It seems to be associated with allergies to a certain extent, but usually it's not true asthma, which dogs CAN have.

Sometimes they do it when they drink, or when they get excited, & sometimes for what appears to be no reason at all. If she seems to do it very frequently, tell your vet-- he may be able to give you some medication for it. But if it's only occasional, you probably don't have to worry. If the dog is truly having trouble breathing, lift his upper lip & look at his gums: if they're pink, he's OK; if they're purplish or bluish, call the vet IMMEDIATELY. Something is definitely wrong.

My dog did it occasionally all her life (16 yrs). It sounds awful, but it usually doesn't last long. The worst was when she did it at night by my bed. I would wake up, heart racing, & turn on the light. By then, she was usually finished, squinting at the light, give a big yawn, stretch, circle a couple of times, then settle down on her blanket & go to sleep. I would be wide awake.

[Joanna and Weezy]

Thanks everyone! I think that Weezy is just doing this reverse sneeze. If it ever gets worse, I will definitely bring it up to the vet. Right now, though, it's just an occasional annoyance - to her AND to me!

[Wienergal]

Hi, Joanna! Both my dogs do this--usually when they have just tried to bring down the local Akita... http://dachsie.org/ubb/blushie.gif But now that I've had years to observe the reverse sneeze, I can see that it tends to happen much more during peak allergy seasons--spring and fall., when there's lots and lots of pollen on the ground.

I rub their snouts when it happens, and the rubbing always makes it stop.

Nice to have you and Weezy with us! http://dachsie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif