# Random episodes of hacking?



## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

I noticed this about 4 maybe 5 times in the last 4 years. Randomly he will get into episodes where he does this (video below). Sometimes the episode where last where hes fine for 5 minutes, has another 5 minute episode. It can go on for an hour, sometimes two. But he always recovered from it. Never been able to get it on video till now. Sometimes it gets so bad that he walks around hacking and trying to hack something up. Nothing is in the back of his throat that I can see. 

IIRC it happens mostly at night (when I am trying to sleep of course :doh. I keep forgetting to mention it to the vet and show her the video because it happens not often at all like I said above. 

I dont think its kennel cough or it would be happening often. 

Can someone maybe point me in the right direction? Heres what I did. Fed him some zuke mini bites, then he went on the couch to lay down. A while later I heard him reverse sneeze which sounded like this minus the snorting sound as he doesnt do that






Then a while later I could here him start up. Heres what it sounds like, kinda scary. So ofcourse I woke up and now cant sleep hence why I am here..






This video is just a mild version. Sometimes, hes hacking one right after another. First thing that popped into my mind is heard issues. 

Someone point me in the proper direction? Something I should worry about or no? Last episode was oh....hmmm...at least 5-6 months ago.


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Lincoln16*

Lincoln16

*I would call the vet and make an appt. for your dog. and also show them the video!! *You want to rule out anything serious like a heart problem or a lung problem. 
How old is Lincoln?


----------



## Aislinn (Nov 13, 2010)

I would take him to my vet as well and show him the video.


----------



## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Hes almost 4.5. He goes to the vet the end of April I will mention it then as well as show her the video. I really dont want to pay an exam now and then another the end of April since hes in for a wad of blood work anyway. If it happens again I will see if I can squeeze him in. They make you pay for an exam for blood work and I dont have the blood work money until the end of April which is why hes going then unless its a huge emergency. 

What kind of heart or lung issue could it be? I thought with an issue like that this hacking would happen on a regular basis? He was fine as I was typing this up last night so this episode lasted maybe 15-20 minutes then he slept like a baby. 

Pretty sure she will want x rays so on top of the $230 blood work I will have to budget another $120 which is another reason I prefer to pay only one exam fee if I can help it.


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Lincoln*

When Lincoln coughs like that does he spit anything out?
When he walks up stairs or exercises do you see his sides moving in and out as if he is having trouble breathing?
As soon as you can afford the vet I would take him in-just to be on safe side
My Smooch, who was 11.5, was hacking and a little blood would come out and she also wasn't interested in eating-she was avoiding coming upstairs.
When we had a chest xray done, it was found that she only had 10% lung function and they thought she had lymphoma or hemangiosarcoma. I listened to Lincoln's video and his cough doesn't sound anywhere as bad.
Is he eating, drinking, playing, normally?


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Is it possible Lincoln is having acid reflux issues?


----------



## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Karen519 said:


> When Lincoln coughs like that does he spit anything out?
> When he walks up stairs or exercises do you see his sides moving in and out as if he is having trouble breathing?
> As soon as you can afford the vet I would take him in-just to be on safe side
> My Smooch, who was 11.5, was hacking and a little blood would come out and she also wasn't interested in eating-she was avoiding coming upstairs.
> ...


He eats, plays and drinks normally. Runs around like a maniac outside every day and he doesnt have hacking episodes after this. He goes up the stairs fine to. Sometimes just a little spit comes out. Never seen blood or funky coloured stuff. Hes fine today, back to normal as far as I can tell. He goes in for blood work the end of April, I will upload this video on my phone so I can show the vet 



Dallas Gold said:


> Is it possible Lincoln is having acid reflux issues?


That thought popped into my head to. This is only the 4-5 episode hes had in like 3-4 years. Its happened so little I really dont know how much its happened. At least 3 that I can recall. This video showed him hacking not to bad. Of course after I put my camera away he got off the couch and hacked some more while walking around. He was fine 10 minutes after that and left me the couch to sleep on


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Lincoln 16*

Lincoln16

Maybe it could be acid reflux. Hoping you find the answer-didn't mean to scare you before, but felt I had to tell you what my Smooch went through, but she was GAGGING and Hacking up blood.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Karen519 said:


> Lincoln16
> 
> Maybe it could be acid reflux. Hoping you find the answer-didn't mean to scare you before, but felt I had to tell you what my Smooch went through, but she was GAGGING and Hacking up blood.


When my Beau started showing hemangiosarcoma symptoms, we noticed he hacked but it sounded like a very old man who was a chain smoker. We didn't realize at the time that the hemangio had gone into his lungs.


----------



## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

Congestive Heart Failure can cause the same symptoms as well. Please take him in as soon as you can. CHF can usually be controlled with medications (same as people) in a dog that is this young.


----------



## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Hes going in the end of April unless something happens before. Appointment is booked . I cant afford all this testing so first I will have the vet listen to his heart/lungs, watch the video and tell me what she thinks. Then I will make a decision based on that

I think because its waaay between episodes its nothing with his heart/lungs. Plus he can run all day long and be fine. But, I guess you never know so it will get checked out


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I got this from one website:

"A spasm of prolonged coughing that occurs at night or while lying on the sternum suggests heart disease."

or 

"A high, weak, gagging cough, followed by swallowing and licking the lips, is characteristic of tonsillitis and sore throat." however, since this has been going on for some time I would probably rule this one out.

Good luck. Monitor him closely. I think if this happens 1 or 2 more times, I'd bring him in to have his heart listened to. Then again, maybe he's just eaten something and it's caught in his throat, and this happens once or twice a year. Hopefully it's something simple like that!


----------



## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

If he had a sore throat wouldnt he be hacking a lot? It so far only happens 2-3 times a year. In fact I do not recall this happening in the first 2 years of his life. 

I will still mention it to the vet and ask her opinion. Where is the sternum? He was laying on his side kinda when this started to happen.


----------

