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Coughing Chihuahua
By Dr Andrew | October 13, 2006
My 2 year old Chihuahua, Sissy, has been doing some hard “hacking” the past couple of weeks. It seems like she has something stuck in her throat, like a hair ball, and she has a hard time hacking it up. Is this common for Chihuahua’s??? Even sometimes when she is eating, she does this. It seems to strain her cause her eyes tear up quite a bit when this happens.
?? Any advice about this would be greatly appreciated.?? I read your emails every day and appreciate what you do to help us keep our pets healthy.?? Is your book in print form?
Thank you!
Phil Davis
Hello Phil,
Thanks for the kind words.
The first thing is to explain what is causing the hacking.
A common cause in small breeds is a condition called tracheal collapse. In this condition the airway slightly collapses in on itself causing the chocking/gagging. This condition is best treated by feeding a liquidy food ( ie adding water) and increasing humidity in your house.
Other possibilities include a throat infection, or an enalrged heart.
If the coughing persists, I would advise a visit to your veterinarian.
Dr Andrew J
Topics: Pet health |
October 13th, 2006 at 9:36 am
Thank you Dr. Jones for the advice. I will moisten up Sissy’s food and crank up the humidifier in the house. We will keep a close eye on her!
Phil Davis