My bosses Border Terrier is making a kind of snorting sound as though she's a bit short of breath. She started doing this yesterday and is doing it occationally. Anybody got any ideas as to what it might be?

She could have something stuck somewhere - but other dogs do what's best described as a 'backwards sneeze' which seems to be normal behaviour for them.  If you have any concerns consult your vet.

Hi
George my Bassett x had this. We took him to the vet and he said George's throat looked sore and he said it could be a type of kenel cough. He gave us antibiotics and George is a lot better now :)

Have to say I would vote for Kennel Cough too.

Hi
Having said thaat he has Kennel cough, will Lola get it?
Is it serious? I have heard lots about it but I'm not sure what it is.
annieee

It is possible it is very contagious. (sp)

Do you mean the snorting that sounds like huge deep breaths where the dogs rib cage expands and flattens?  If so, its normal, all dogs do it.
Dawn.

No, this is more like snorting as though they can't get any breath and then coughing - finishing off with sounding as though they are going to vomit - but don't.

Hello, i have a feeling i know the sound you r talking about and both of my bullies do it but chester does it all the time. He has been throughly checked out but nothing wrong, it's just him. He does it sometimes when he has just got up and sometimes when he gets exited but saying this i have none him to do it in his sleep. We tend to talk to him and just stroke his throat and he sems to stop, it does sound scary but we have got used to it now. I would get a check up at the vets to be on the safe side as you never know but if they cannot find anything you might find it's him and a quirk as they all get, Emma. :D

sorry no advice, just thought it was funny when I quickly read the topic,
thought you wrote

>Dog is snoring

and one of mine snores like crazy, he's only 3 months, don't know what I expected
from the responses, but with snoring solutions for humans I was hopeful.
oh well, on with the snoring

please excuse this silly post

It sounds like it might me a soft palate problem.  It is quite distressing to listen to, but doesn't usually cause a real problem to the dog.  If mine has a bad attack I find it can help to cover the dogs nostrils with my hand and force him to breath through his mouth, this usually clears it.

Sandra

Don't think soft palate causes the dog to cough and then gag but kennel cough does. With soft palate the dog breathes in and out rapidly and then stops. Mind you I am only going by what my dogs do may be some do coght and gag.

Jackie

I didn't think that when I first read it, but a later posting said  'snorting as though they can't get any breath' , mine doesn't cough with it though, but looking like he may vomit, does sometimes follow an attack.  Long while since I have had kennel cough, do they snort and have trouble breathing with that then?