Elongated Soft Palate??

My 3 year old bichon has always had episodes of the snorting/ grunting noises. Vet says this is to do with the soft palate. Any more info?? It's quite frightening because she goes rigid and I worry she's going to chokem

My old Cavvy used to snore like a train and sometimes make choking noises. Vet told me it is because they have a very long soft palette?

it just happens randomly. She doesn't snore. Feel sorry for her when it happens

Mine will snort like a pig if I let her get too excited,she's a Shih tzu.Not so bad that its a worry though.Neighbours have one and he's really bad,I always imagine he's gonna choke,owner says he's fine
Did the vet suggest anything that would help?

No she didn't seen too concerned. Just asked how long it's been going on etc

It's supposed to be an elongated soft palate, and is common in Cavaliers. I've heard it called reverse sneezing - may not be anatomically correct, but it is a near description of what happens! Cover your dog's nostrils with your fingers, and by massaging her diaphragm, encourage her to breathe in through her mouth. It usually stops straight away - as if by magic!

What Carole wrote All my Cavaliers have done this-it is a soft palate thing

I wasn't ever told it was a 'problem'. I'd asked the vet about it and he said more or less what JoeDee said.

Did sometimes attract some odd looks from passersby. She sounded as if I was throttling or choking her! Didn't ever go on for ages.

Bulldogs, Pugs, Pekingese, Shih Tzu, English Toy Spaniels, Boston Terriers, Chow Chows, and other dogs with broad skulls and short muzzles frequently show some degree of airway obstruction, known as brachycephalic syndrome, manifested by mouth breathing, snorting, and snoring. These difficulties become more pronounced when the dog is exercising or is overheated, and tend to get worse as the dog grows older.
(Copied this from PetMD)
Apparently snorting and snoring are classed as minor problems in some breeds. Major would be fainting after excerise,tiring easily,vomiting.Few more on there but these are extreme cases,requiring intervention.

My gsd has always had episodes of this, sometimes it scared me rigid when she was a puppy, usually brought on when exercising, but could happen at any time really when I look back. I tend to rub her throat in a downwards motion, in the hope that it will relax the muscles in order for everything to fall back into the correct place cos having read up about it when it first happened, I seem to remember something happens whereby something gets out of place, (overlapping?) bit like a muscle spasm, so you need to relax the throat for them.

I read about the moving the head forwards and putting your hand over the nostrils, but the thought of stopping your dog breathing when it seems to be gasping for breath seems insane doesn't it.

Thank the lord, and touching a very large piece of wood, it's been quite a while since the last episode here, whereas when she was still growing, it would happen on a weekly basis so I do know how frightening it can be for you. Sometimes it would last only seconds, and sometimes it would go away, come back, go away and last for 10 mins in total. Very scarey.

One of my previous gsd's also had this, and I rushed her to the vets, but of course, by the time we arrived all was fine. The vet said they don't know why it happens really, but he wasn't unduly worried, same as your vet isn't.

I've watched a video on the reverse sneezing with a whippet on it, and boy oh boy, that IS scarey. Good luck with your dog, I hope it disappears over time like mine has.