Abnormal breathing noises in nose

Question
MY MINIATURE BLACK SCHANUZER IS 6 YRS OLD AND HAS ALWAYS MADE SOUNDS FROM HIS THROAT WHEN SMELLING SOMETHNG LIKE MOST SCHAUNZERS DO, AND HE SLEEPS ON HIS BACK AND SNORES A BIT SOMETIMES TOO.  NOW HE SEEMS TO HAVE DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO SOUNDS THAT A PORTABLE OXYGEN BOTTLE MAKES WHEN A PERSOON IS USING IT.  JAZZ MAKES A SIMILAR SOUND LIKE THE PUSHING SOUND EVERYTIME THE PERSON IS BREATHING IN THE OXYGEN ALONG WITH A SLIGHT MOANING SOUND. IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH HIS NOSE IS STOPPED UP AND CAN'T GET AIR IN OR OUT LIKE HE IS LABORING TO BREATH. HE SLEEPS WITH ME AND I WAKE UP WHEN I HEAR THIS SOUND. I HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO MY VET AND HE DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT TO DO.  JAZZ DOESN'T HAVE A COLD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. HE ISN'T ON ANY MEDS THAT MIGHT CAUSE SIDE EFFECTS EITHER.  I DO A LOT OF RESEARCH ON MEDS BEFORE I GIVE THEM TO HIM. HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS WITH ANY OF YOUR SCHAUNZERS BEFORE.

Answer
You need to get a second opinion from a different vet. This is not normal and needs to be investigated more fully. Your dog could have some kind of sinus infection, a foreign body, or possibly a tumor that is cutting off his air supply. Periodontal disease, very common in schnauzers, can also cause inflammation of the nasal passages.

If your vet is just standing around scratching his head, he deserves to be dumped. When a vet cannot even figure out what to try looking for, he should be on the phone or sending his client to a specialist.
Always remember, not all veterinarians graduated in the top 10% of their class; someone was always at the bottom of the list.