Not sure if any of you can offer an explanation as to what might be wrong with Ellis, about once every three or four months he has this problem, I'll try and explain, he seems to go into a snorting fit, rapid sharp intakes through the nose, letting it out through the mouth, which lasts no more than 30 seconds or so, he will then repeat this on and off for a couple of hours, then it just stops.

He had a bout last night and I can't seem to tie it in with anything in particular like food, or walking somewhere different.  It doesn't seem to bother him but it's horrible to watch. 

Thanks

Juliet

It sounds like he is coughing.

Try giving some baby Benylin or Tixylix for a few days and see how it goes...

If it was Kennel Cough, it would be evident quite quickly so doesn't seem like this is the case.

Does he pull on the lead a lot?

Fagan, my Irish Setter, does exactly this. It isnt like a cough, more like he has something up his nose its really strange he does it a couple of times a week but I wouldnt say its something to take him to the vets about because he seems fine :)

Tia and Ellie do this quite regulary and then stops for a while, no distress so I dont bother too much

All the dogs I've ever had have done this every so often. We call it 'having the wheezles' and it passes as quickly as it comes.

I think it's sometimes called 'reverse sneezing' and seems to be completely harmless.
:)

That sounds right, something up his nose and reverse sneezing but it's a horrible thing to watch them do, I just hold him and try and re-assure him.

Thank you all for your replys, you have put my mind at rest.

Juliet

Its put my mind at rest too, sometimes we think he is having an asthma attack

It is a type of hyperventialting often ahppens wehn tyey ahve got their noses full of a strong/onteresting scent.  So it could be grass in the spring, or something you have used in the house.  Or just a very interesting smell.

Teh be4st way to stop it is to put your hand over the nose and mouth to stop them breathing for a few seconds, and when you take your hand away they should have stopped.  Don't reassure as he may get worried about your reaction.

This sometimes happens in the showing when they are very keen for the bait or catch a whiff of in season bitch on the carpet etc.

Min my oldie has always done this and I think it is almost like hyperventilating. She normally does it after she has had her dinner as she sometimes gets so worked up !

I normally go and calm her down by stroking her and talking to her. :)

She is 14 1/2 so has not been a life threatening condition ! :)

Lucy
xx

I came to this awful late but it is very common it is often known as inverted sneezing and reverse sneezing.  One of mine does it when she gets excited.  Fit as a fiddle. :-)

Hudson used to do that and now Delta does...Hudson grew out of it so I think Delly will too :) Delta is now 9 months old

I have two GSPs and an English springer, they all do it. We say they have 'swallowed their breath', once they do it once its almost like they have stressed their throats so it recurs a couple of times until the throat recovers, then they don't do it again for ages.
It really worried me the first time I heard it but they don't seem to bother too much!!

One of mine does this if he eats too fast ;) 

My two both do it occasionally...but they are staffs so still haven't realised to lift their heads up when it happens so end up bashing their nose on the floor every time.

A lot of toy breeds do it, we just hold their noses for a few seconds and they stop, never does them any harm.

My 12 year old staff has done this all his life.  My vet said it was something to do with the pallet and was very common in staffs and nothing to worry about.  All I do when it happens is stroke him and calm him down, as he tends to panic a bit which makes it worse.  If I hear one begining I immediatly rush over and calm him down.  If I catch it in time I can usually stop it from happening by getting him to breath normally and not sucking in the air as he would when he panics.

Hope this helps.

Julie (& Fagin)

Nasal mites are the most common cause for reverse sneezing. A visit to the vets is recommended.

This link http://www.purinaone.com/dogcare_cond_atoz_article.asp?Seed=800&ArticleNumber=30076
would seem to suggest that these mites cause sneezing, discharge and nose bleeds.  Noen of these occur in the occasional bout of hyperventialting.reverse sneezing which from the other posts would seem to occur due to over excitement of the sense of smell. :D

I would only say visit the vet if the dog was doing this a lot with the other symptoms too.  Otherwise it seems perfectly harmless and holding the dogs muzzle for a fe3w seconds solves it. :D

Yup, I agree Brainless...there is nothing wrong with Delta nor was there anything wrong with Hudson, it appears to be something that some breeds get and that they grow out of. It can be quite scarey when they first do it though :D

A dog at training last night did this and the trainer said it can be an allergic reaction to a vaccine, im guessing that as Fagan is 10 months old his isnt a reaction though :)

One of mine does it too.  As Brainless said, put your hand over the nose for a short while it usually clears then.  Someone once told me it is something to do with the soft pallette.

Sandra

Thanks again all of you, I will next time it happens try the hand over the nose and see what happens.

The explanation of sniffing the 'good' smells seems to fit as Ellis gets very excited at game smells and we had just come back from a walk where he had gone off for a while doing just that.

Juliet

It should stop it right away, or if not after the second attempt.  My 10 year old Tula who seems to do this most when having a good root around in the undergrowth, especially Spring and Autumn now comes straight to me for me to do it :D