My dog has started to snore, ideas?

lisa110rry

My almost 11 year old terrier-type mongrel has started to snore. She has always been a sneezer, but this is becoming more common now. She also coughs and snortles, has always done it but is doing it more often. The vet has been consulted twice about this and has passed her fit both times with a healthy heart.

We shall of course be visiting the vet again (I have confidence in him by the way), but little Miss Leigh Terrier really has vet stress. Okay in the waiting room with all the other dogs/cats/rabbits/whatever, but as soon as she goes in he consulting room!

Any ideas? Any similar experiences?

Although a mongrel, she is insured for 'whole life' by the way.

Thanks for any comments, we are out for daily walk number two and will check in when we get back. She loves her walks and despite her age will have a run-play with her friend dogs.

elsien

Not sure what the problem with a snoring dog is if she's healthy and the vet has no concerns?
Unless it's the annoyance factor? My last could snore for England when she got older.

lisa110rry

Greetings to you and gitdog, elsien. It's not the annoyance factor at all, I find it charming as she is getting to be an elder dog. It's that she has always been sneezy and snortly (and I have visited the vet about it in the past as I said, over the years) but she is getting much worse with coughing. She has always had her injections by the way. I wondered if dogs can have asthma or bronchitis? My husband has congestive heart failure and I know dogs can get that, hence my vet visits because of this seeming breathing problem. She has never snored before.

elsien

Ah, I misunderstood, I thought you'd been to the vet more recently.
I know they can get soft palate/laryngeal problems with age, (although in mutts case there wasn't anything the vet could do to help.)
Is her weight ok?

(Older dogs are great, aren't they?)

lisa110rry

Just re-read my last post and it sounds panicky. Yes I guess I'm quite worried and we will be visiting the vet, despite her vet stress. She's a mongrel and only approaching 11 and small and has a nice waist so not overweight. The fact she's always been sneezy and snortly always concerned me. Elsien's post has given me some comfort that it's just 'anno dogmini'.

elsien

Another thought is do you de-worm regularly, as worms can make cause a cough as well.

lisa110rry

That's a thought elsien, it's as if there's an obstruction, but I can feel nothing (she is Hearing Dog trained, so very easy to do something like that).

lisa110rry

Oh yes, deworming and flea treatment on schedule.

lisa110rry

I'm thinking next time I'll give her two de-worming tablets instead of one-and-a-half. She is 15kg, what do you think? Maybe there is something there that isn't shifted by the normal dose?

elsien

Probably better to get her checked by the vet to put your mind at rest.
Might well be something and nothing, but better to be sure.

lisa110rry

Thanks Elsien, shall do of course. Since coming back from evening walk she's not sneezed, coughed or snorted, but rather spent time in her bed combined with visits to lie in front of the fire.

I loved her as a young dog and love her more as an elder canine!