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Jack Russell 'snorting' spells

tina86
15 years ago

I have a 2 yr. old mini Jack Russell who is having episodes, usually through the night, where she is "snorting" and after the spells are done, I can hear loose congestion in her nose. These spells last a few minutes. She has also been vomiting yellow foamy bile, but I'm not sure if the two problems are related. I have done a little research on epileptic seizures in dogs. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Comments (7)

  • trinigemini
    15 years ago

    She could just have a cold and be congested. Did you take her temperature? When she snorts you can pour some lemon juice down her throat to help get rid of the congestion.

  • mazer415
    15 years ago

    Many many small dogs have this, YORKIES especially. I forget the technical term, but it is like a reverse sneeze. The Yorkie people say their dogs sound like geese!!! Nothing to worry about

  • annzgw
    15 years ago

    You should have her checked by a vet. I've owned dogs that often reverse sneeze but it never happened thru the night and they never had congestion afterward.

    Heart congestion can have the same symptoms.

  • Dee1
    15 years ago

    My min pin had that reverse sneezing, but seemed healthy otherwise. The vet said not to worry. So, I didn't.

  • munkos
    15 years ago

    My beagle reverse sneezes. However she has never been congested after. It DOES often happen in her sleep, though.

    She checked out just fine.

    As for the bile - how often and when do you feed her?? Is he also throwing up the bile after an episode of snorting, or is it at completely different times?

    My beagle throws up bile if she hasn't eaten for too long. If he is throwing up right after, is it possible the sounds you hear are actually him heaving??

    I would definitely have him checked out to rule out anything else, though.

  • dabunch
    15 years ago

    Usually, those kind of snorting/sneezing can be caused from a collapsed trachea, reverse sneezing from an allergen, or something "stuck", or a growth in the nasal area. I'm not trying to scare you, but if this is the first time your pooch has done it, you need to have him examined by a vet to determine what is causing it.

    Once one of my Shih Tzus started this reverse sneezing during the night. I wasn't sure what it was. The vet ruled out the collapsed trachea. I figured it out. I purchased some fresh flowers. She must have been allergic to them. We threw out the flowers and she stopped the sneezing.

    I wonder if Poinsettias could trigger it...

    "IF" it's just sneezing, you can pinch the nose & massage the neck, while they are doing it. They will start swallowing their saliva & stop sneezing. However, have it checked by a vet, first.

  • tina86
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I had recently read about the tugging of a leash doing harm to the trachea, so she now has a harness when I take her out. I've never heard of reverse sneezing and it could be possible she has allergies. We live in a very rural area. She snorted a couple of times during dandelion season but she has to have her nose in everything to investigate it, so I assumed she had some flower residue that irritated her. We fired up our woodstove a couple of months ago, and her snorting has increased a bit. It didn't seem to bother her last year. A few nights ago, I did find that by stroking her neck, she calmed down and eventually stopped snorting. I'll make an appt. with the vet just to make sure it isn't heart related or something more serious. I just don't want the vet to push pills and/or unnecessary tests on me if it's something that I can take care of myself. As far as vomiting the bile, she's eating more at supper and before bed and I'm happy to report that, so far, there haven't been any incidents. Thanks for the responses. I'm a little more at ease but I'm still going to take her to the vet.

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