Why is my dog suddenly quiet, slow, and had a loud coughing fit?

Tux is a handsome boy. With the shaking, I would be worried about a focal seizure. Try to record the next episode if he has one so the vet can see. Also, if you see if again, try to determine his level of responsiveness while it is going on. With a seizure, they are typically non responsive or dazed. Dogs can also develop weird behaviors as well so this is not excluded. I would also recommend to take him into the vet for bloodwork to make sure his liver is normal as seizures can results with liver disease. I hope this helps!

There could be several reasons why your dog is [coughing](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/coughing-1/). He could very well have something stuck in his throat or is trying to vomit something up and can't and will need medical intervention. If the symptoms continue, he needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible. If you know your dog has ingested something and is indeed [choking](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-do-if-you-think-your-dog-is-choking), you can perform the Heimlich maneuver if you feel comfortable doing so. A dog who is choking should also be taken to a veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. A dog may also be coughing as a result of a viral respiratory infection, like canine parainfluenza, canine adenovirus, or [kennel cough](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/kennel-cough). The most common symptoms of viral infections in dogs can include lethargy, decreased appetite, coughing, exercise intolerance and an increased breathing rate. If you believe your is showing any of these symptoms in addition to coughing, it is important for him to be evaluated by a veterinarian. Finally, a condition known as "reverse sneezing" might also sound like a cough and can be alarming for pet parents to witness. Reverse sneezing is very common in pets and is usually not a cause for concern. When a dog reverse sneezes, it will often pull its head back and inhale forcefully through the nose and mouth, making a cough-like sound. It is thought to have an [allergic](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies/) component as the back portion of the nasal passages work to expel an irritant.

Hello. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! My guess is that Buddy was reverse sneezing. You can look at some YouTube videos ("reverse sneezing dogs") to see if Buddy's symptoms are similar. Look at a few different videos. If you think this is what he was doing, it is no big deal. The cold air probably just irritated his nasal passages. There is no treatment for reverse sneezing; it is not a problem/issue and it is not life-threatening. Reverse sneezing is very common. If it was not reverse sneezing, then I would suggest you just monitor him and if the behavior recurs then you should take Buddy to your vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi there! Dogs can make some weird noises and it can be difficult to tell if they're normal or a sign of sickness. This is a link to a video of a strange noise dogs make called "reverse sneezing". Dogs can sneeze two different ways. Like regular sneezing, we don't worry about it unless it is associated with other signs of a respiratory infection, such as green nasal discharge or lethargy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UyBrb0Hhpk If Hazel's cough-sound is associated with playing or getting excited, it may be a sign of something called a "collapsing trachea". This sounds a lot scarier than it is and can usually be treated well with oral medications, though extreme cases may require surgery. Sometimes coughs and snorts can be underlying signs of chronic bronchitis or heart disease as well. Usually in more serious disease, we are seeing the signs associated with the animal not feeling well for days at a time, instead of just a single cough incident though. I would recommend trying to take a video the next time she makes the sound and seeing if there are any common triggers for it. That information would help your vet give you the best answer as to what is going on.

Reverse sneezing refers to the reflex of bringing air into the body to remove irritants in the upper area that lies behind the nostrils. The most common causes for younger dogs include infections, the existence of a cleft palate, or bronchial infections. Another primary cause is the involuntary movement of the hairlike cilia that line the respiratory tract and act to remove foreign matter from the air before it reaches the lungs. This involuntary movement of the hair is medically termed ciliary dyskinesis. The most common causes for older dogs include nasal tumors and dental diseases. Other causes can be mucus irritation, nasal passage obstruction, inflammation, excess nasal discharge or secretion, pneumonia, chronic vomiting, and gastrointestinal disease. Under vaccinated or unvaccinated dogs are at a higher risk of developing infections, which may lead to consistent sneezing. Chronic dental disease can lead to both chronic sneezing and reverse sneezing. I recommend taking Tucker into your vet to see what is causing the reverse sneezing, and how best to treat it.

What I think you are describing is reverse sneezing. It is not anything to worry about. It is very common in dogs. Calming her down during an episode is the exact right thing to do. There is no other treatment needed for this issue. My recommendation is to look up videos on YouTube of dog's reverse sneezing and see if it matches what Abbie is doing. I think this article will help you: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=21+1276&aid=1112 If you are worried though, you should definitely take Abbie to the vet for an exam. I suggest you video tape an episode with your phone so you can show it to your vet because chances are she won't do it during the exam! I hope this helps! Best wishes!

If he was kenneled or groomed recently or has been around other dogs, it may be kennel cough. His breed is also predisposed to developing heart disease or a collapsing trachea. Shadow should be examined by your vet if the cough is worsening or if he is developing other symptoms such as lethargy, exercise intolerance or difficulty breathing. Chest xrays can be done to diagnose respiratory or cardiac disease.