Choking Chihuahua

Hi all

My Chi has always had a funny problem with choking and it sarted when we walked him in a normal collar and also when he got over excited. We went to the vet and she said he was ok but to try and walk him with a harness, this helped but it still happens occasionally. Its almost like he cant get his breath and he makes a really funny noise in his throat, its quiet scary when it happens. The vet mentioned something about the soft tissue in his mouth and thriat being too big for his small skull. Has anyone had a similar problem?

This sounds similar to a problem I have with Fabian, one of my English Setters. He had kennel cough as a youngster and now, whenever I walk him anywhere, it has to be on a harness. If I attach his lead to his collar and he pulls just a bit, he coughs and splutters as if he has got kennel cough again. I've been to a few shows where he's done it and you should see the looks I get because they think I've brought a dog to the show with this dreadful illness. I've no doubt I would look at someone else the same way as we all fear the dreaded cough as its so contagious.
My vet tells me that he has a weak throat because of the cough and when anything puts pressure on his throat he will choke more than a normal dog, I'm just wondering whether your little Chi has had a similar illness in the past and now has a little weakness too.

Hi there, It sounds like a collapsing/floppy Trachea, or similar.....
My Yorkie has this, and it sounds serious, but he's fine
I had him x-rayed, and luckily the vet said he didn't need surgery or medication.
We just make sure we walk him on a harness.
Cold weather seems to agrevate it too.

Hi Shirley it could be a soft pallet problem known as ..'reverse sneezing'

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIP...eSneezing.html

We used to have Chihuahua's and had the same thing happen to them. Nothing in particular triggered it off and yes it is alarming. Our vet told us to gently stroke under their chin, down the neck to try and calm them down and ease the tension. Not sure if it worked on the symptoms but it did help the dogs calm down.

Another thing the vet gave us was an oral laxative to coat the throat, again not sure that worked either.

Thanks a lot guys, at least its nothing too serious, although it sounds horrendous!!

Ill give him a little neck massage next time he starts!

He's a beauty by the way, I can imagine how you feel when he starts. Hope the stroking helps

some cavaliers snort it can sound like choking.... we tend to push the head down towards the chest it stops instantly

best wishes

This used to happen to my Cavalier Barney, usually when he was excited and pulling on his lead. He just needed calming down and then he would be fine.

Can be a number of things and is usually quite harmless. Because of my experiences though I would say next time you are at the vets or if it gets worse, just get them to check the mouth and throat for any sign of ulceration. Highly unlikely but worth checking.