snorting

Question
My 1 1/2 year old female toy poodle sometimes has "snorting" fits. It sounds like she has a hairball in her throat and is trying to get it up.  These last about 10-15 seconds.  Someone told me it was because she was excited but sometimes it happens when she is just sitting on my lap.  I was told to blow up her nose or rub her nose and that seems to help (along with talking to her). I had another toy poodle who died from heart disease and she did the same thing.  That, combined with the fact that my poodle has a heart murmur, scares me.  I told the vet the last time I was in and he didn't seem to worried about it and said "they all do that".

Answer
Hello Cindi,
I don't think that what your dog has now is the same thing as the dog who died from the Heart Disease.  We have dogs that do this also and have had it for along time with no problems.  
Now, I don't agree with your Vet that "they all do this", as its not a Poodle thing, but it is common in Poodles.  
I would keep doing what you are doing when she starts snorting if it works for her.  

Also, heart murmurs tend to be more common in Poodles, as I have a dog that also has a heart murmur, but he is 10 yrs old now and still going strong, and my Vet said that its not a big deal.  

I hope this helps put your mind at ease a little.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask me.  

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim