I have a 9 year old collie cross, who started having a hacking cough in the last 3 days and then retching once she has finished coughing.

I took her to the vets and they checked her over and the vet said she could not find anything wrong with her.  However she did mention that it could be a "soft palet", I think that is the right terminology and mentioned that if it continued they need to consider puttin her an anaethestic and putting a camera down her throat. For the time being the vet has given me an anti inflammary drug and suggested I get a dog harness for when we go out for walks which I have done and she does seem a bit better.

I am a little confused as I have not received a huge amount of information relating to this problem, i.e what it actually is and what problems it causes.

Many thanks

If anyone has any information or has a dog who has had this problem it would be gratefully received.

Just a thought - could it be kennel cough?  My pup had it, she had no other symptoms apart from the cough, which was hacking/honking as if she'd got something stuck in her throat.  She did cough at the vets so the vet knew from that what it was.  Apparently its very common at this time of year.  She also coughed up a bit of white phlem.  Hope shes ok very soon

A large or excessivly floppy soft palate can cause a cough in dogs. Presumably your vet has reason for thinking the cough is due to a soft palate problem, but with such a short duration of symptoms and in a dog of 9 I'd want a very clear explanation as to why (s)he wants to give an anaesthetic and do what is probably a fibre-optic examination.

Thanks for your replies.  I went back to the vets and saw a different vet who explained it all a bit more and gave her some antibiotics so she is starting to get better thankfully