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
it’s sad that people have dogs that cannot properly care for them. i have two chihuahua’s that are my world. one of them has many medical issues. i have been blessed with having the means to cover her $500 / month medication bills. if I could not provide her with a comfortable and good quality of life, I would out of love and compassion force myself to find someone that could take care of her and give her the life she deserves. maybe someone willing to foster her so i could still see her. it is sad to hear when a dog gets put down for financial reasons. out of love for your dog please try other means before resorting to this.
My dog frankie has a collapsed trachea. He just turned 10 years old but is in Amazing health for his age. he has so much personality. I’ve tried a lot of the meds and they drug him up but don’t stop him from coughing and having anxiety moments where he can’t breathe. He’s only had it like six months and i’m not sure what to do. reading online i’m seeing extreme things about getting the surgery vs meds and no one way sounds good. since i can tell it’s getting worse i almost thing it would be better to get the surgery now before he gets really sick. i can’t stand the idea of just putting my dog on painkillers and watching him die. however, many people say that this is no big deal and to pretty much do nothing. i’m so freaked out i can’t sleep. this dog means everything to me. i’m so unsure because i’m reading so many different things. for frank since he’s healthy might the surgery be right? his cough is bad but everything else with his body is healthy. thank you for any advice.
Lily my chihuahua/chinese crested turns three in two days. She doesn’t have this yet. Lily gets to excited she does that sound too. With two fingers I rub softly in a circle on her thoat and it stops it. She wears a collar but only for her tags.
Ed ferret be sure to yelp the vet that destroyed your dogs. You don’t need a lawyer just do it yourself, win or loose at least they get to hear about it and you can have at least that moment on court.
I wonder how many of these little friends have been nutered, spaded or operated on for a medical problem. i had four extremely healthy, loveable, playfull little chihuahuas. two were 6-years old and two were 3-years old. all four had no physical problems. the los angeles county dog haters passed a law, that if i wanted to keep them, i would have to have them sterilized. they gave me a lot of b/s that it would make them healthyer and live longer. i complied with their law and had it done. i took the two yonger to one vet and the two older ones to a differeny vet. i brought the two 3-year olds home first. several days later the little male jumped up on my lap and died. the little feamale became a paranoid and vicious little dog. she ues to like laying on my lap and be petted. now if i tried to pick her up, she would try to bite me and run off and hide. she started to poop on my carpet, she was afraid to go outside. i have a large fenced back yard and a doggie door that they normally use. when i brought the two older dogs home they were coughing (i though they pick up kennel cough). the vet said no, it was from when they were sterilized. their trachea was damaged by the hose stuck in their throat while being operated on. the little feamale is worse than the male because the feamale takes longer than the male to operate on. i was lucky with the feamale as i saw her stager over to her bed, she started to climb into it and fell over. i rushed over and picked her up she was dead, no pules. i started “cpr” and managed to bring her back to life again. if i had the money, i would hire an attorney and sue the county for forcing me to distroy four little lives.
Hello I have a 2 yr. old short haired chihuahua that I love more than I love myself and just 10 min ago he was all fine and then all of a sudden he just started to cry and so I picked him up just took him to a pillow and just held him thought it was his leg until I noticed him trying to keep his hick held super straight so I began to feel around and he just started crying so loud and sad. I freaked out and just don’t know what to do I massaged him and he seems to feel a lot better but I can tell he is very uncomfortable and he hurts any idea what it is and what can I do to help my Benji baby.
I have a 10 year old chihuahua and he has been doing the trachea collapse sneeze since he was about 1 year old. If you pay attention they do it when they seem to be real excited. Like when I come home for the day, when he is about to get a treat, or when we are getting up to go for a walk in the morning. i have to be kinda mean to him when i get home and say stop it! or his trachea will collapse, or i have to startle him when giving him a treat so he doesn’t get excited. Doing these little things seems to stop the onset of the trachea collapsing. now if he does start it i plug his nose with my finger for about 7 seconds and message his neck and back so he will relax. plugging his nose forces them to breath through their mouth and this will stop the collapse or lessen the amount of time they deal with this. so i plug his nose for about 7 seconds then let him breath or hack for 7 seconds then plug it again and do this until he stops. if he still does it more then a minute i will try and put some water on my finger and make him drink it. drinking can also cause his trachea to open up and relax, while also masssaging his back and neck. thats what i have been doing for 10 years. when i am not home i don’t know what he goes through. but usually he sleeps all day when i am not around so he doesn’t have those attacks.
Oh, and to the user who said that codeine contains Tylenol, no it doesn’t. Make sure your vet gives you hycodan. It does not have Tylenol in it!!! Its the only thing that would help my chi. Oh, the vet also told me to give him 1/4 teaspoon of children’s robitussin in the beginning but that never worked for me.
Hi. My chihuahua Endo is now 14yrs old. He was diagnosed with having a collapsing trachea in 2011. He was prescribed hydrocodone cough syrup 2.5-5mg x2 daily. Works like a charm. Anything to keep him from coughing. Hope this helps. Btw, he is 10lbs.
My 3 year old Chihuahua is making gargle noises occasionally . He is twirling his tongue around a lot. I took him to vet . They said everything looks good. He said its a mystery.
No its not. My dog is 11 lbs. A little over weight. (Not a toy chi)
He hates other dogs..broke free from his leash and attacked a dog over twice his size. The owner of the other dog started kicking him.
I’m scared she really hurt him. What the heck.who kicks a dog.especially a tiny dog.
I’m concerned his leash/collar collapsed his trachea. Or that the women kicking him did.
Of coarse when at vet.he showed no symptoms.
Twirling of tongue like peanut butter in mouth,
Occasional gagging,breathing hard tgtogh nose.
Any body ……..help.what is this.
I went and bought a harness today I am so mad at myself for not doing it sooner.
When my 3 yr old chihuahua starts having problems I only use essential oils to heal her. They are safe and work quickly.
There are a few things that can help your vet is always so quick to jump to its trachea collapse it’s normal and do offer any help if u call the company that makes robitussin they will tell you they are not FDA approved for pet use yet. For those who are giving advice to use codeine never use codeine products on pets my goodness it contains Tylenol a huge NoNo! You can insist on ur vet giving ur pet an anti inflammatory injection/med non steriods this will help with the irritation and most like inflammation causing the constant gagging n coughing and try some children benadryl liquid u can give up to 1ml but I thought that was alot these lil guys don’t like it and u don’t want to dry them out or make them sleep everyday I used 0.1ml not ( 1ml) daily for a wk after a dose of anti inflammatory med this was a life saver. Chihuahuas have allergies if they have all that drainage like us they will cough sneeze gag
I have two male dEER CHIHUAHUA’S AND BOTH HAVE SHOWN SYMPTOMS OF TRACHEAL COLLAPSE. tHANKS FOR THE INFORMATION.
what about medical marijuana? I think if the trachea is relaxed and the dog stays relaxed it will prolong their life and not put so much stress on their heart from the coughing.
My 12 year old Chihuahua has been doing the coughing for years, he does it throughout the day but it gets worse at night. It usually happens about once a minute and it goes on all night until he falls asleep. Some nights it sounds like he’s trying to gag something up others it sounds like he’s gasping for air. It usually happens more in the winter, and here we are in the winter months. The very tells me it’s the collapsing trachea and that there’s nothing that we can do about it. Considering most chihuahua’s have this problem how do these little creatures live longer than most breeds? The vet doesn’t seem to feel like there’s anything that can be done, is there? I don’t have money but I would sell my soul if it meant keeping him well. Is he in pain when he has these spells? It seems like he is but more annoyed than anything. The vet once mentioned cough syrup with codeine, which I am very weary of due to knowing firsthand of the withdrawal from opioids, and codeine is an opioid. Please help me, I love him more than anything and can’t stand to think of him in pain. Thank you. Melanie
The more you love your pet…the more money the vet charges you….well that’s how it feels.
Too bad vets are not like DR POL.
vETS ARE OVER PRICING AND MANY TIMES THEY DO unnecessary TASKS: X-RAY $150…THIS & THAT $200….MORE THIS & THAT $400…IT ADDS UP .
dR POL FIXES THE ANIMAL ON THE SPOT..IF THE ANIMAL NEEDS TO BE SPAYED/NEUT , biopsieD AND STITCHED dR POL DOES IT ALL IN ONE SITTING….NO RUN AROUNDS LIKE MOST VETS DO.
vETS ARE THERE FOR THE MONEY THEN THE ANIMAL….ALMOST USELESS TO THEIR FIELD….SHAME
I HAVE A CHI THAT I RESCUED AFTER HE ALMOST GOT HIT BY A SEMITRUCK IN FRONT OF MY LAW OFFICE LAST WEEK. I HAVE NEVER HAD A LITTLE DOG BEFORE BUT FELL IN LOVE FAST. he is my constant sidekick, even goes to work with me. HE HAS LOTS OF WHEEZING problems and snores loud. i bought him a soft harness that is fairly loose and we walk slow so he does not get pulled. my question is this…how long does the wheezing usually last? should i be worried?
The vet put my Chi on asthma med for collapsing trachea. Don’t see much difference.
Author
Hello. We have harnesses on sale at http://store.famouschihuahua.com/__productype.asp?PT_ID=39&strProductID=Fabric_Harnesses
Trying to find a harness like the one shown on your homepage, but it isn’t listed on your shopping page nor have I had any success finding one in local pet stores for at least 3 yrs. Where can I find such a harness for my chihuahua? Thank you
i just learned a technique that is effective “EVERYTIME’ she has one of her coughing and rev. sneezing spells: next time try this:
with you hand (not fingers) place it over the top of her nose or cover the entire top of her nose area and gently press her nose and face down towards her chest. don’t cover her nose so she can’t breathe; just press towards her chest. you can pet or speak softly as you’re doing it. my puppy doesn’t seem to mind and becomes very calm when I do this. I hope this help
I just “acquired” a puppy chi. from a dumpster who was so consumed with round and tapeworms it was astounding. I have finally have gotten rid of these pests but she still will not put on weight…I have tried cooking for her, bought her the best food money can buy, blue buffalo. high dollar treats etc. she takes one piece of food at a time and scatters it everywhere but doesn’t eat it. won’t eat chicken, meat or I mean NOTHING’! she’s been to the vet twice and had round 1 of her puppy shots. I’m going broke.
wHAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST IS THAT WHEN SHE SNEEZES “ALOT” OF MUCAS AND THERE IS CLEARLY ALOT OF FLEM OR MUCAS IN HER CHEST (YOU CAN HEAR IT RATTLING” ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE A CHILDS, CROOP COUGH” i’VE TRIED TO 2 DIFF. ANTIBIOTICS BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK..
ANYONE HAVE A SUGGESTION i COULD TRY.
We have three chihuahua’s and all three have the “reverse sneezing.” The two oldest ones seem to have these attacks if they get excited. It usually only lasts a very short period or until they calm down. I was wondering if anyone else notices this.
we have a senior medium chihuahua.
hE HAS COUGHING ATTACKS. THE LAST ONE
WAS SO SEVERE THAT IT LASTED ALL NIGHT AND PART
OF THE MORNING. hE SEEMS BETTER WHEN ONE OF US
RUB HIS THROAT. iT SEEMS TO BECOMING MORE FREQUENT
THE OLDER HE GETS.
I am so surprised that no one has mentioned that when your tiny pal has a “reverse sneeze” all you have to do is gently pinch his nostrils closed and hold it shut to force him/her to draw a breath through their mouths. it opens the trachea and allows them to breathe. our tiny brown chi (hershey) has done this since he was young and he now knows to come to us when he needs help. we also gently stroke under his neck to encourage him to draw a breath. works like a charm! no medication needed and so simple. Hope this helps!!!!
i was just wondering if it is normal for them to snore my remi will wake the house. she is not over weight but she is so loud she wakes herself! i have two chihuahuas remi is 3 coco is 5 and they are both rescues, they were only going to be fosters but i just couldn’t give them up. coco snores also but not as much or loud. is this normal?