[46Barb]

It may be allergies.

If you have a video camera or can borrow one, keep it handy and take a video of when it's happening to show your vet. If you don't have access to a video camera, you can take a video with your cell phone if it has the capability or if you have a digital camera that takes video.

[usmcfamily]

Originally Posted by Clowndisco88

My boyfriend and I rescued a dog from the pound in October, and she is a sweetheart. She is a terrier/hound mix and alittle over one year old. Since we got her shes randomly had hacking and gaggling fits. During these she is constantly licking the ground and the air and starts trying to eat everything. She also tries to vomit but usually cant or only gets a small amount of clear/white phlem. She looks very unhappy while it is happening. Also during these fits she kind of snorts, its deep and through the nose and throat. We have treated her for kennel cough because that is what we first thought it was. Of course she only does it on the weekend when we cant go to the vet. I will call them on wednesday, but I am worried about her because I dont want her to eat something and choke on it. And I feel horrible having to crate her while she is doing it, but it is the only things that helps. Please help me!

Hi! Does she also seem like she her skin is itchy and bite herself a lot? The reason I ask is because my dog has food allergies and takes a pill everyday. When he takes his medicine, he is fine. When we miss a pill, he does exactly what you described. He just vomits clear phlegm/stomach acid in the am. Lots of snorting, too! Your dog is licking everything to get the bad taste out of her mouth!

My dog is on hydroxyzine. He started on 2x day but now, only needs it once in the evening. We were skeptical at first with his diagnosis but the medicine has really done the trick. Good luck!

You might want to post this in the pet forum.

[prairiestate]

Originally Posted by Clowndisco88

what the heck does that even mean? it doesnt make sense. can you explain that?

Sorry, I misread the question.

[Clowndisco88]

thanks alot everyone. i will call my vet right now and i will ask him to do an xray. worms was a good thought, but thats what they thought the first time and gave her dewormer. I hope its not a tumor, however if it is we wont get rid of her, she is far too good a dog for that. Im hoping she is just afraid we will leave her, seeing where she was already abandoned once by her former owner. whatever it is we will work with. ill keep you all posted.

[DandJ]

Post this on the City Data DOG forum -- there are plenty of people on there who can help you.

[Clowndisco88]

so I have a vet appointment on tuesday at 4

[Cruikshl]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

My 14 year old Border Collie has been doing that for three years now. He coughs and gags, and clears his throat loudly a few times a day. It's kind of nasty sounding, and keeps me awake at night, it's extremely loud and drawn out. The vets aren't sure what it is, either. He did do it once in front of them, as we walked in the door and the vet happened to be standing in the waiting room, so I was lucky. I suspect it could be a throat tumor as Cruikshl suggested, but at his age we aren't going to follow up on it. He's otherwise healthy. If I were you, I would try another vet, and get a second opinion.

My vet put mine on steriods and that helped her for a while, but ultimately she was suffering and had to be put down. I can't imagine having something in my throat I could not remove and thought I was choking all the time.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by Cruikshl

My vet put mine on steriods and that helped her for a while, but ultimately she was suffering and had to be put down. I can't imagine having something in my throat I could not remove and thought I was choking all the time.

He actually had another problem several months after the gagging symptoms began. An $8000.00 problem. He unexpectedly developed liver failure, and the vet suspected leptospirosis or gallstones. After a few days of intensive care at the vet's we were sent to an animal hospital in Norwalk, since our vet didn't want to operate if it was indeed lepto. The animal hospital in Norwalk couldn't make up their minds for days what was wrong with him; every 12 hours a new vet took over the case and had a different diagnosis. Every day the hospital was calling wanting more money for more testing. Finally they did a simple ultrasound, and it was indeed gallstones so they removed the gallstones. They sent us home with several hundred dollars of monthly prescriptions for his liver etc., and wanted him to remain on them for life. He also took steroids for several weeks. We did stop all the meds eventually, (our own vet didn't feel they were necessary) and his liver has remained in excellent health. My point is, he was on steroids for several weeks, and in the meantime his coughing never improved. Other than the occasional hacking, he doesn't appear to be in any discomfort. It's been 3 years so far, and he hasn't worsened, either.

To the OP, good luck with your Dr. visit next month! Please keep us updated.

[Clowndisco88]

thanks alot. I will keep you all informed. I just hope it doesnt cost me 8000 dollars, Id hope they would have a payment plan.

[Clowndisco88]

Just to let you all know, Roxy and I just got back from the vet and he believes that it is allergies, and also might be a food allergy because of the licking of licking her rear end. So I got her some allergy medicine and am going to change to a food that he recommended. Thanks you all so much for your help! I also got her microchipped so I can never lose her. I just feel really bad because the needle was so big!