# Congested sounding breathing after eating?



## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

I'm taking Ty to the vets next week anyway for an overall health check. But for the past few months I've noticed him breathing weirdly after eating, almost like he's nasally/congested. This will continue for about a minute after eating. I don't notice it whilst he's eating, just afterwards. Other than that he seems fine in himself. Does anyone know why or what might be a reason for congested sounding breathing in those circumstances?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Dogloverlou said:


> I'm taking Ty to the vets next week anyway for an overall health check. But for the past few months I've noticed him breathing weirdly after eating, almost like he's nasally/congested. This will continue for about a minute after eating. I don't notice it whilst he's eating, just afterwards. Other than that he seems fine in himself. Does anyone know why or what might be a reason for congested sounding breathing in those circumstances?


Do you think it could be something like reverse sneezing? Reverse sneezing is a spasm and can be caused by things irritating the throat or soft pallet and eating and drinking can be one of the things that bring it on in some dogs. Obviously if its something that's started suddenly and has continued you do need to speak to your vet which your doing anyway to find out why it might have suddenly occurred.





You have probably heard what reverse sneezing sounds like but just in case video above to compare.

Only other thing that I can think of that can cause nasal problems and things like sneezing after eating and drinking particularly if they have recently had a tooth extracted or may have periodontal disease is something called an oral nasal fistula. It can be caused by tooth extraction or when there isn't proper healing after or just from periodontal disease, a small hole forms which means food and/or saliva can enter the nasal cavity, so if they have this you do often see sneezing or snorting after eating.


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Do you think it could be something like reverse sneezing? Reverse sneezing is a spasm and can be caused by things irritating the throat or soft pallet and eating and drinking can be one of the things that bring it on in some dogs. Obviously if its something that's started suddenly and has continued you do need to speak to your vet which your doing anyway to find out why it might have suddenly occurred.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks SDH. Definitely not reverse sneezing, I guess this sounds more nasally if anything...kind of watery. Hard to explain. I might try & get some video next time he does it.

But thinking back this did seem to occur after he ate a foxtail a couple of months ago. He was really struggling and gagging, being sick etc. At the time I assumed the breathing was related to the irritation, but after 3 months I'm not so sure any irritation would be lingering.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Dogloverlou said:


> Thanks SDH. Definitely not reverse sneezing, I guess this sounds more nasally if anything...kind of watery. Hard to explain. I might try & get some video next time he does it.
> 
> But thinking back this did seem to occur after he ate a foxtail a couple of months ago. He was really struggling and gagging, being sick etc. At the time I assumed the breathing was related to the irritation, but after 3 months I'm not so sure any irritation would be lingering.


Wondering if the foxtail in his throat could have caused some long lasting problem then, like maybe some kind of laceration. Gagging coughing and wretching really badly alone can cause lesions and lacerations down the oesophagus.

The oral nasal fistulas I mentioned which means that there a little hole or opening appears between the pets mouth and nasal cavity
is often caused by tooth extraction and non healing after extraction or periodontal disease, but it can also be cause by trauma too, like bite wounds
and foreign body injuries. That definitely then causes food and saliva to be able to get up into the nasal cavity and one of times its noticed is after eating.


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## lullabydream (Jun 25, 2013)

The only thing I can think of is laryngeal paralysis, simply with him getting old.

My old boy Jovi could be quite 'coughy'for want of a better world. Fine the majority of times. The vet checked throat and heart...poor dog had more heart checks in his life than I don't know what..they suspected a mild case of laryngeal paralysis. Didn't investigate further as his symptoms never worsened...

The best possible scenario would have been inflammation in the throat, basically something like laryngitis and antibiotics would have cured it. If it started with eating the tail, maybe it irritated the throat, started an infection which just needs a boost to heal via antibiotics. Just a guess!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Dogloverlou said:


> Thanks SDH. Definitely not reverse sneezing, I guess this sounds more nasally if anything...kind of watery. Hard to explain. I might try & get some video next time he does it.
> 
> But thinking back this did seem to occur after he ate a foxtail a couple of months ago. He was really struggling and gagging, being sick etc. At the time I assumed the breathing was related to the irritation, but after 3 months I'm not so sure any irritation would be lingering.


Just thought of another thing too, foxtail/grass awns are barbed, they penetrate, migrate ie don't stay put in the area they entered and also cant be broken down by the body, So they often end up causing problems in a different place to where they may have entered and initially seen to cause problems. My Samoyed tzar got a perforated ear drum in November/Decemeber time one year and they pulled a huge one out that had caused the damage. The vet said that he had never had one cause problems so late in the year, it must have entered sat out of site in the ear canal somewhere then finally migrated and then perforated the eye drum and they found it and removed it with an endoscope. So now you have said about the foxtail I am beginning to wonder if it could be some significance to his problem.


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Wondering if the foxtail in his throat could have caused some long lasting problem then, like maybe some kind of laceration. Gagging coughing and wretching really badly alone can cause lesions and lacerations down the oesophagus.
> 
> The oral nasal fistulas I mentioned which means that there a little hole or opening appears between the pets mouth and nasal cavity
> is often caused by tooth extraction and non healing after extraction or periodontal disease, but it can also be cause by trauma too, like bite wounds
> and foreign body injuries. That definitely then causes food and saliva to be able to get up into the nasal cavity and one of times its noticed is after eating.





Sled dog hotel said:


> Just thought of another thing too, foxtail/grass awns are barbed, they penetrate, migrate ie don't stay put in the area they entered and also cant be broken down by the body, So they often end up causing problems in a different place to where they may have entered and initially seen to cause problems. My Samoyed tzar got a perforated ear drum in November/Decemeber time one year and they pulled a huge one out that had caused the damage. The vet said that he had never had one cause problems so late in the year, it must have entered sat out of site in the ear canal somewhere then finally migrated and then perforated the eye drum and they found it and removed it with an endoscope. So now you have said about the foxtail I am beginning to wonder if it could be some significance to his problem.


Yes, I read about them migrating and the barbed 'tails' so I did initially think maybe one had got stuck or was burying itself within his throat somewhere! Then I kind of dismissed that idea when he seemed to recover, but it is something to perhaps bear in mind now as it since then he has had the issue. I will certainly mention it to the vet.



lullabydream said:


> The only thing I can think of is laryngeal paralysis, simply with him getting old.
> 
> My old boy Jovi could be quite 'coughy'for want of a better world. Fine the majority of times. The vet checked throat and heart...poor dog had more heart checks in his life than I don't know what..they suspected a mild case of laryngeal paralysis. Didn't investigate further as his symptoms never worsened...
> 
> The best possible scenario would have been inflammation in the throat, basically something like laryngitis and antibiotics would have cured it. If it started with eating the tail, maybe it irritated the throat, started an infection which just needs a boost to heal via antibiotics. Just a guess!


That's something someone else mentioned too. I admit, when I have stroked his throat after eating it feels very tense and tight. Actually scared me the first time as I thought he might go on to choke or something & since Missy's choking episode last year I'm a paranoid wreck about any of the dogs choking.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Hope the vet can give you some answers both things are worth mentioning though.


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## Mirandashell (Jan 10, 2017)

I didn't realise your boy and my boy have the same name! Hope the vet can find what it is.


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