Do dogs heave with exitement?

[LauraW]

Hello,

I have a Shih Tzu that is 1 1/2 years old. Almost every time I come home she begins to dry heave. This will last for approx. 30 seconds and then she will be okay. Is this a normal reaction?

[PatchO'Pits]

Hello,

I have a Shih Tzu that is 1 1/2 years old. Almost every time I come home she begins to dry heave. This will last for approx. 30 seconds and then she will be okay. Is this a normal reaction?

That is not normal and I'd have her checked by the vet

[NylaRaye]

while working down at the humane society they told me that smaller dogs tend to "choke" themselfs...I'm now sure what it's called..but they called it a collapsed trachea.I THINK, something like that anyways, but we had a chihauha that did that and they made me cover her nose so that she would stop heaving. I would take her to the vet and find out and make sure that there is nothing seriously wrong.:confused:

[ChessieLvr]

I'm guessing what your dog is doing is a reverse sneeze. My dog does it when I greet her immediately after I've woken her up. It's perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.

[ChessieLvr]

Here's an explanation of a reverse sneeze. Sounds like this is probably what she's doing.

Reverse Sneezing

This is a misnomer, for it has nothing to do with actual sneezing. However, it is a popular term for something that appears to be worse than it actually is. When this occurs, your dog will appear to be snorting or choking. The posture will be one of the neck extended with the chest expanded, as the dog struggles to take in air. The actual physiology is that the trachea has narrowed and the normal amount of air is not able to enter the lungs. The triggering mechanisms are usually excitement or stress. If this is happening to your dog, do not panic. You can help your dog by soothingly stroking the upper throat area to encourage relaxation and dilation of the trachea. If things do not resolve soon, and the dog is really having a continued hard time, you can try depressing the tongue to open up the oral cavity for the passage of much needed air into the lungs. The predisposition to this is thought to be hereditary, particularly in smaller breeds because of the decreased diameter of their tracheas. If your dog occasionally has this, do not worry that you need to be there to help each time it happens. A dog is able to come out of an attack of reverse sneezing without help and will not suffer permanent damage. Contributed by Barbara Moore's Veterinarian

[LauraW]

Many thanks to everyone for their replies.

I did end up taking my dog to the vet and took a video clip of her while she was heaving. These episodes only last about 30 seconds and sure enough we were told she is doing a reverse sneeze.

We feel much better now knowing everything is okay.

[PatchO'Pits]

Many thanks to everyone for their replies.

I did end up taking my dog to the vet and took a video clip of her while she was heaving. These episodes only last about 30 seconds and sure enough we were told she is doing a reverse sneeze.

We feel much better now knowing everything is okay.


I'm glad thAT is all it it was!:)