Problem with my Brittany

Dakotazeb

Well-known member
My 2 year old female Brittany seems to sneeze more than normal and occasionally she seems to choke and will struggle to get her air. I son't know if the two are related or not. Last night she woke up and went into one of her choking/struggling to get air jags. She seems to get scared when this happens. It only lasts 5-10 seconds and then she is fine. I'm taking her to the vet to see if he has any ideas what it is. This doesn't ever seem to occur when she is hunting or when I'm exercising her. I've been roading her and she can to 5-6 miles at 10-15 mph with no problem.

Anyone have something similar to this happen with their dog?
 
I think I already have this one figured out. I called my buddy in Colorado that is a vet and he said it sounds like the Soft Palate is catching on the Epiglottis. He said this is not uncommon and the dog is snorting and sounds like it can't breathe. He said they actually can breathe but all you need to do is press on each side of the rib cage to force air out and it will clear the airway. There is a surgery they can do to shorten up the soft palate but he said unless the condition if really severe not to do the surgery.
 
My 2 year old female Brittany seems to sneeze more than normal and occasionally she seems to choke and will struggle to get her air. I son't know if the two are related or not. Last night she woke up and went into one of her choking/struggling to get air jags. She seems to get scared when this happens. It only lasts 5-10 seconds and then she is fine. I'm taking her to the vet to see if he has any ideas what it is. This doesn't ever seem to occur when she is hunting or when I'm exercising her. I've been roading her and she can to 5-6 miles at 10-15 mph with no problem.

Anyone have something similar to this happen with their dog?

My eldest Brit has done the same thing her entire life. Thanks for bringing this up. I'll try the method outlined in the above post. Again, I appreciate your bringing this up!
 
My shorthair does the same thing and I had on the "to do" list to get it checked out. He seems to do it when I first let him out of his kennel and again it lasts 5 seconds or so and he's fine. Never seems to do it hunting, kind of wierd. Thanks for the post.
 
Here's an update on this post. My Brittany has continued her sneezing, especially when she gets excited. Took her to the vet and he couldn't find any cause. he gave her a shot containing a steroid and an antibiotic. The we put her on an antibiotic called Cephalexin along with some Benedryl thinking she had a nasal passage infection. She seemed better but yesterday I roaded her for a couple miles (first time in over a week) and the running seemed to aggrevate the sneezing. Plus she just has not been her normal self the past few days. I'm taking her to a different vet in the morning to get another opinion. This vet also has a scope to look in her nasal passages to see if there is a foreign object in there.

Anyone ever run into anything like this? I have to get her healed quick as her first NSTRA trial is in just over 3 weeks.
 
Great, I drive to this other town and vet because on the phone the gal says they have a scope for the nasal passages. Get there only to find out they don't. Vet looks at Elle charges me $40 and I'm on my way home not knowing any more than before I left. I found a vet clinic in Sioux Falls that has the equipment and have an appointment next Wednesday. I sure hope I can find out what is bothering her.
 
My parent's dog had similar issues going on and it ended up being a sand burr lodged in the back of his throat or nasal cavity.
 
I forgot to post here that before the scheduled appointment I had with the vet in Sioux Falls Elle must have dislodged whatever was causing the problem and has been fine. I had taken her running the day after my previous post and she came home really having a problem with her breathing. I think that was the start of getting whatever it was out. After she passed it she was fine.

I've been roading her and she has no problems. She will run 5 miles in under 24 minutes and that includes a few trips out into the field to chase some pheasants. She is running the last miel just as strong as the first and I think she could run 8-10. The dog has "wheels".
 
Good Deal George glad to hear she is good to go. Give them "all get out" on the NSTRA Trials this year............Bob
 
The vet thought if it had been an awn or seed she got from the hunting season that it would have shown up sooner. But no sense in guessing what the problem was because we will never know. Good thing is, the problem is gone. :)
 
Back
Top