# Wheezing and Gagging - Vet Help



## Mugs (Jul 24, 2008)

I got home from work today and let the dog out of the kennel and when he got out he was wheezing with every breath that he took. He would occasionally gag as well like he had something stuck in his throat or nose. I checked the kennel and nothing destroyed. Checked his throat and nothing in there. Activity level is normal. Anybody have any ideas. Trained as normal tonight. Laying on the couch tonight it started happening again. It only lasts a 30 seconds to a minute and then done. He is 10mo BLM.


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## Aussie (Jan 4, 2003)

First symptoms of kennel cough?


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## Mugs (Jul 24, 2008)

He has been vaccinated for kennel cough although I know that is not always a guarantee he won't get it.


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## Fowl Play WA (Sep 16, 2008)

Our CLM was also innoculated for kennel cough, but got it anyway, not at the trainers but we think from a dog that visted while he was kenneled at home. It sounds horrible and we rushed him to the E-Vet, thinking he was choking on something (as he had a bad habbit of eating "things"), but they knew right away that that sound was the sound of kennel cough. 

If I were a betting gal, that's where I'd put my money.


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## Lady Duck Hunter (Jan 9, 2003)

Kennel cough vaccine only lasts a short period and doesn't cover them for all strains. Take him to the vet and get him started on meds. We generally vaccinate for kennel cough twice a year, just before each hunt test season.

Is it possible that his trachea was injured? We had a young pup once who Dave was airing on an english lead at a hotel, with so much activity going on the young dog suddenly dashed infront of Dave, tripping him with the lead....as Dave fell, the lead snatched up tight on the dog neck and resulted in a bruised trachea. He began to cough later that day. Took him to the vet who verified that his trachea was injured. He coughed like he had kennel cough for a couple of days after that.


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2008)

oh, gosh, DON'T train when the dog is having a respiratory issue! get to the vet IMMEDIATELY! I hope everything's ok. We had a "worst case scenario" with wheezing... dog had an abscess in her throat. Her breathing got worse and worse over the course of a short period of time because her throat was closing. We rushed her to the vet and she was literally on her last breaths because her trachea was about to close! Please take ANY respiratory issues very seriously.... I'd go to the vet today ASAP. Take care and keep us posted.

could be KC, could be allergies, could be injury, could be other illness. Not worth playing around with it. I would always get to the vet if a dog had trouble breathing, even if it seems "minor".

-K


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2008)

I have had two dogs with allergies that do this certain times of the year are worse, one was so bad we had to have x rays she had allergic bronchitis she was so bad dust at a trial, feathers even just the cleaning solution used at the vets would set off this horrible cough it sounded just like kennel cough which she was treated for before they found out the real problem. The other one only had a problem twice a year fall and spring excitment would also cause an episode my vet perscribed tussigon pills to stop the cough & short term pred. I would get in to the vet asap the more they cough the worse they make it.


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## Mugs (Jul 24, 2008)

Well we made it through the night with no more episodes. I aired him this morning and he ran and played like nothing is wrong. 

However, I will be calling the vet and getting him in. Thanks everybody. I will let you know what we find out.


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## RemsBPJasper (Apr 25, 2005)

Sounds exactly like our pet store dog. As soon as we let him out of the car at home, wheezing like he had asthma. Hacking like he was going to vomit but nothing came up. He did have kennel cough that went so long it turned into pneumonia and he has scar tissue in his lungs. Now he permanently sounds like he has asthma and wheezes and he still does the gagging thing because of the permanent damage.


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## Mugs (Jul 24, 2008)

Well we went to the vet today and they checked him up one side and down the other. They were unable to find anything. We had them check 2 spots that were forming on the side of his face and turns out he has hot spots.

They checked his heart, lungs and trachea and everything looked normal they said. So for now we are treating the hot spots.

We had no episodes and took a night off of training. He played alot with some company we had over and no problems. Crossing my fingers and keeping an eye on him.

Thanks again to all. You folks have a wealth of knowledge appreciate you taking the time to share.


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## mhitesman (Oct 5, 2007)

Wheezing, coughing, lesions... don't rule out blastomycosis unless you are SURE it is not that. It's "that" time of the year, and you live in an endemic area. Most commonly it is misdiagnosed until it is too late. There is a simple urine test (miravistalabs) that is simple and relatively cheap ($50). 

www.blastomycosis.ca


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## Larkin (Feb 4, 2005)

On the night that your pup had this, did it come and go or was it continuous? Dogs can get "laryngeal spasms" where it sounds like they are struggling for breath, wheezing and hacking. The condition, though it sounds awful, is somehow related to hiccups and not generally dangerous, at least that's what the vet says.

Just a note about Kennel cough... it's much the same as the human "cold." There are hundreds of different strains and the bordatella vaccine covers only some of them. Our vet only treats compromised dogs-- elderly dogs, young puppies, dogs being treated for some other malady-- as he is concerned about making more bacteria "antibiotic-resistant" and because a normal, healthy, adult dog will recover spontaneously from kennel cough. Good luck with the pup, and hope those hot spots go away quick!


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