Rat terrier/Pomeranian

Question
I have a 1 yr old rat terrier/pomeraninan that is very active.  He has been making a weird coughing sound. Seems to only last for a few minutes and then goes away. What could be wrong with him?

Answer
Hi Benita,

I can't hear the sound your dog has been making. If it's a sort of loud snorting, honking and gasping noise, it's probably something called a "reverse sneeze".  It actually has nothing to do with sneezing, but is a spasm caused by an irritation of the soft palate. Small dogs in particular can exhibit this behavior. Reverse sneezing appears a lot worse than it is, generally posing no health threats whatsoever. Typically, an episode of reverse sneezing will end soon on its own. You can read more about reverse sneezing here:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dog-Reverse-Sneezing---A-Look-at-Reverse-Sneezing-in-D...

You can see a short video of a dog having a reverse sneezing episode here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UyBrb0Hhpk

If after reading about reverse sneezing, and seeing the video you don't think that it's what your dog is doing, you should have your dog examined by your veterinarian. It's always possible that your dog has a respiratory infection, and needs the care of a doctor.

Best of luck,

Patti