many chihuahua owners email us with concerns related to their chihuahua puppies or dogs experiencing breathing problems, more specifically frequent gagging, coughing and chihuahua wheezing and seizures that result in gasping for air. this article may be helpful to you if your chihuahua has been affected by obstructed breathing or symptoms thereof.
chihuahuas are known to suffer from problems related to their soft palate or a collapsed trachea. it is a health concern that is characteristic of the chihuahua breed and is also commonly referred to as “reverse sneezing”.
tracheal collapse is a condition in which the trachea partially collapses or flattens out as your chihuahua is trying to breath. this leads irritation and results in the gagging, coughing and wheezing symptoms mentioned above.
the trachea airway in your chihuahua is a very sensitive area
the trachea is the airway from the larnyx to the main bronchi in the lungs. it looks somewhat similar to that of a vacuum hose and has many stiff rings with flexible tissue connecting them.
sometimes these rings are not stiff enough and are unable to hold the trachea open against the air pressure that’s created during respiration. the portion of the trachea that is not stiff is then sucked into the airway causing partial obstruction making it difficult for your chihuahua to breath.
the difference in a normal trachea vs. a collapsed trachea
factors that can lead to tracheal collapse in your chihuahua are obesity, irritants, allergies, repeated heart conditions, bacterial infections, viruses and second-hand cigarette smoke.
tracheal collapse can also be brought on by damage done from leash pulling, especially if you use a collar to walk your chihuahua. it is recommended that you switch to a trachea friendly dog harness to prevent any pushing or pulling against the trachea.
if any of these symptoms develop, take your chihuahua to the vet right away. this is an important chihuahua health concern. if they are not treated, damage can occur in the lungs, larynx, nasal passages and soft palate regions. your veterinarian will provide you with the right medications and you will be able to further prevent symptoms.
a happy and healthy chihuahua is the goal, and a sick chihuahua must be properly cared for. famous chihuahua welcomes your comments and shared experiences.
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below is a sample page from the section of tracheal collapse!
reference: tracheal collapse in dogs vetinfo4dogs.com/dtrachea.html
photo references: egyvetonline.com/animaldisplay.aspx?c=2&info=16
animalhealthcare.com/handouts/dogs/collapsing_trachea.htm
Comments 162
Thanks for the info remi has a reverse sneeze and i am so scared for her. but now i’m going to take her to a new vet. i was also told that it was nothing to worie about it would go away, i have had her for a year and three months now.it still happens to her all the time. when she sees someone she loves,or gets over exilerated. I don’t smoke or use spray cleaners so this site has been helpful.
My 10 year old chihuahua named Tutu has had a heart mumur the vet noticed last year. Last week went to vet bc tutu was blotted. Vet toom xray noticed enlarged heart. Wr have echocardiogram scheduled with a specialist, cardiologist, not just a radiologist tech. We hike about 5 miles together 4 times a weeks. Tutu is very strong. Any comments.
in response to the person that said dont use cleaning products on your floors if you have pets, id like to agree unless you are using an all natural, non-toxic cleaner such as Method. I love it, i use it on the floor and anywhere my chihuahua can reach 🙂 lavendar and the melon one too smell amazing and clean very well!
I have a chihuahua/poodle mix that that has this on occasion,it comes and goes. sometimes he will have this off & on for several days,then its gone for weeks. Now I have a little chihuahua that the first two weeks I had her,she was fine. Now she is also doing this. we don’t smoke or use alot of spray cleaners. would this come on that quickly?
i would like to say to pet owners, please do not use cleaning products on your floors and carpets. The animals walk on this, it soaks through their feet and into their bloodstream, not to mentiion the irritation they must experience to the skin on their feet. Please use vinegar, which is an excellent natural cleaner and rinse your floors with a clean mop. the animals will also absorb the chemicals by licking their feet, this cant be much fun for them, its like us spraying cleaner on a plate and licking it. Thankyou and bless all u pet owners
on my previous post i stated that our little CHIHUAHUA reverse sneezing came on quickly, in fact it came on slowly about a year before her trachia collapsed. the vet stated reverse sneezing was common for her breed and it only happend when she would get overly excited barking alot. she had micro prolapse and was taking enalapril daily. the collapse of her trachia came quickly , besides the enalapril the vet started her on lasix, torbutol and clavamox.
nothing helped as her stressful gag and coughing was bad during the day and worse at night. besides being doped up she was still in stress mode when not coughing. the gag coughing could last 5 minutes to 30 minutes . she was put to sleep last week… our household was non smoking , never used a collar etc.
the stint sugery was mentioned however the vet hospital advised being over 12 years old with a heart condition it would be risky even on a healthy dog this sugery may have after effects and is not a 100 percent cure as respiratory issues often follow. we miss our little Margo but feel we did the right thing.
someone ask about sugery , in my area they send do a complete scope of the pet , including heart . kidney , lungs etc. if your pet is an elder or has other health problems they will likely refuse to do the stint . vet advised me that the sugery is not near 100% cure many develope others issues after a sugery. if they could have given me more positives about the sugery i would have probably went that direction.
we had to put down our 12 yr. old CHIHUAHUA due to micro prolapse valve and trachea collapse . she had been on heart meds for several years and did well. recently she started the reverse sneezing ( it came on quick) took to the vet and they put her on a drug to calm her down and surpress the coughing along with antibiotic , lasex etc. after a week of meds still no difference other than it doped her up so was able to get a couple hours sleep each night.
she would start hacking when she got up and it could last 5 minutes to 25 minutes . she was in constant stress mode . took her back to vet and was told alot of her breed develope tumors and it would be difficult to pick this up with an xray.
She was a good pet , hated to have her put to sleep but it was the right thing to do.
I have read the above about chihuahuas with breathing issues and “a backwards sneeze” This is the symptoms to the T. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to wat to ask the vet for to help the poor little guy cause I feel awful that he cant even be a dog without having these attacks.Please help my veternaring only said that it is fine and natural theres nothing I can do for him other then a huge surgery that will costs ALOT. There must be other ways to help him so that he can run and play like a normal dog.
My Chi stevie has been suffering from Back pain. He is an Apple chi and he weights 14 lbs. is he too fat? I took him to the vet and she put him on diet and told me that he has fused invertibrate and gave him prednosone. i am worried for him. any suggestions
My 12 yr old chi does this too, but the vet gave him a clean bill of health. i’m glad i know what this is now, thanks.
Hi my name is Ken and my sister’s name is Lee. Would like to thank Susan Sands on her article down below. We got up this morning and I said to my sister; try patting her on the face like Susan said. Less than 10 seconds it started to work. It’s unbelievable. Now we just have to get the sneezing fixed somehow. She’s been sneezing about 30 to 40 times tonight. Sands // Jun 11, 2011 at 1:56 pm
i have a little black chawawwa i found in the dumpster when passing by to go to work . I worked the grave shift it was a cold windy night but i heard a noise and reached in to pull out a little tiny rat,,,, the bar was not busy so i snuck away and got a bottle and kittens milk from c.v.s. and put it in her mouth with in an hour i realized it was a dog… are you crying yet? Anyway as i write this she is sitting on my shoulder and she too has the hacking problem i did not know what to do at first but our loving instincts must of kicked in ,,i pat her on the side of her neck ,and then a bit firmer until it stopped and it always stops . Since then i have shown others how to do it and the success of firmley patting on the side of there necks when this happens has been great and a little grateful dog looks up at me everytime with a tear in her eye to thank me and then needs to be held,,after all they dont understand whats just happened .. but they know you made it better, and thats good enough for her… she was 3 inches when i found her that night and she is 3 pounds full grown now .. I just want you all to know this little dog is the most kind ,loving polite dog to all humans and any strange animals… What a crime it was to find her in a dumpster .. SHAME to YOU WHO DID THAT,,,you were a fool,, this dog reminds me everyday how great i am , and wants to be with noone else ever i truly believe if anything ever happened to me she would prefer to die then to let anyone else ever love her… she is fabulous,,and iam humbled… susan c, sands
Reverse sneezing can be scary but it is very common in small breeds. This article is awesome as it explains it in detail. I have a 4 year old Chi that was abused and given to me. He snores all night and if he drinks water, gets really excited, or over does himself he “snorts” I know to just slow down with him and let him know he is going to be okay. I also rub his throat while I talk to him and it shortens the time of the “episodes” It is just something you have to deal with and while it is scary it is not something that will kill them. It is scary when it happens but if you get tense so will your dog. Just stay calm and talk to the little one 🙂
my 10 yr old chi has been making snorting sounds and wheezing for years but it’s getting worse. It’s like she is sucking in with no air coming out. Her body becomes very tense and tight like a spasm. Sometimes she’s just breathing fairly normally when I hear this little wheeze. I don’t know how they treat this stuff but it sounds expensive.
My 13 yr old Chihuahua is overweight and has the exact problem that Marcy does, that is the first time I found someone with a similar problem. My chi is keeping my husband and myself up all night with his gagging and coughing, he gags two or three times then tries to throw up and makes an awful sound, it’s dreadful. He drinks water and throws it up, arghhhhh! I just took him to the vet and he went through antibiotics for kennel cough, no help. Plus cough pills, no help. What now? I can’t take more sleepless nights.
i have a dog named q-tip and he keeps coughing and weezing. im scared cuz he’s been doing it all day. i would really like so answers to my problems. we dont have enough money to take him to the vet. i love him soooo much i dont want anything to happen to him.
I have a 10month old rescue Chihuahua who just had her 1st round of shots including Bordella and she just started that breathing problem today was the worst day. I rushed her into the vets they said she looked good. On the way there she did not have the problem even at the vets she didn’t soon as we got home she started again and it is continuios. Don’t know what to do. My question is she is to have surgery on Monday to be spaded. I am worried about stressing her right now what should I do.
I HAVE A CHIHUAHUA NAME GRIZZLEY AND I NOTICE THAT HE WAS DOING SOME THING THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM DO HE START OUT WHINNING THIS MORNING AND JUMPING WHEN HE IS LAYING DOWN AS IF SOME ONE IS TOUCHING HIM AND LOOKING BACK AT HIS BUTT. WHEN HE TRYS TO GO TO SLEEP HE IS JUMPIN AND WHINNING COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON.
@kristy. strange my chi did the same thing once. it was a scream, scared me. i picked her up and she seemed dazed like she wasnt there..i walked around with her trying to stay calm and she shortly came to..i think she had a stroke but there is no way to tell because its over now. she also suffers from the reverse sneeze. she is almost 12 years old.
p.s. the baby i found in the dumpster ,,well her name is,, BABY..susan c sands
lians ..,,my condolences for your baby and you ..i could only read the first lines of what you wrote and iam crying , i fear the day that i know will happen for me and all of us.. there life spans are short,, i know these words offer you no comfort, But when one dog passes another needs to be rescued, they are abused because of there helplessness to fight,, your dog would never want you to cry.. but would want mommy to smile at the face of a new baby needing your love. i am so sorry for your loss…susan c. sands [email protected]
i have a little black chawawwa i found in the dumpster when passing by to go to work . I worked the grave shift it was a cold windy night but i heard a noise and reached in to pull out a little tiny rat,,,, the bar was not busy so i snuck away and got a bottle and kittens milk from c.v.s. and put it in her mouth with in an hour i realized it was a dog… are you crying yet? Anyway as i write this she is sitting on my shoulder and she too has the hacking problem i did not know what to do at first but our loving instincts must of kicked in ,,i pat her on the side of her neck ,and then a bit firmer until it stopped and it always stops . Since then i have shown others how to do it and the success of firmley patting on the side of there necks when this happens has been great and a little grateful dog looks up at me everytime with a tear in her eye to thank me and then needs to be held,,after all they dont understand whats just happened .. but they know you made it better, and thats good enough for her… she was 3 inches when i found her that night and she is 3 pounds full grown now .. I just want you all to know this little dog is the most kind ,loving polite dog to all humans and any strange animals… What a crime it was to find her in a dumpster .. SHAME to YOU WHO DID THAT,,,you were a fool,, this dog reminds me everyday how great i am , and wants to be with noone else ever i truly believe if anything ever happened to me she would prefer to die then to let anyone else ever love her… she is fabulous,,and iam humbled… susan c, sands
I have a 4 year old chihuahua that does occasionally do the coughing/wheezing thing, I have given him mouth to mouth during it, and usually after a couple times, it clears it up and he gets very happy after he starts breathing normal again. I also talked to a friend who studied animals, and she told me that I was doing the right thing. i hope this helps some of you.
I have a chi named Elvis, he is 1.. he does the hacking or wheezing and it is almost always after running or being excited. I stay calm, pet him, make him calm and it really works. Chi’s are alot of work they are worth it but people need to read about them before getting one they are cute but take alot of work.
hello everyone with fellow chi’s
if your dogs are sneezing watery eyes coughing and hacking up fur balls…..can be a COLD !! I have a 7 yr old with a very bad collapsed trachea and it was getting really bad for her….i took her to one vet that said oh sorry nothing we can do…..so we took her for a 2nd opinion and they advised us that she perhaps has a small cold and that this situation could be managed with meds……She does really well with Doxycycline and Hydroxine……one antibiotic and one for allergies…..it appears that underlying issues exacerbate the conditions as well….ie mine are Overweight and have allergies….if we can control those two exacerbators then we can keep it controlled…..fyi get antibiotics and it helps….clavamox doesn’t work as well as doxycycline…. 🙂