Snorting question

BullyB

New member
Sep 23, 2010
46
3
Bulldog(s) Names
Bruno and Bunker
Okay, so we all know bulldogs snore and snort...it's part of their charm. But Bruno has done this weird snorting thing a couple of times, and last night it was the longest it happened. So it's kinda like the noise I hear when he snores as he's breathing in, but louder...and it's like he can't breathe out, he stands up and just keeps snorting in fairly loudly. Last night it happened for about 30 seconds I would say, and then he was fine. Anyone know what this could be?
 

gatorfan85

New member
Mar 24, 2010
1,121
31
Orange Park,FL
Bulldog(s) Names
Mr.Beefy
HMMM. Is it like goosy sounding? sounds like a trachea issue... My Baby Joe does it from time to time and its kinda scarey because she can't breathe until she calms down and gets her breathing back on pattern. She doesnt have to get exerted or anything like that. It just happens. This explains some of the possibiliies.
In certain individual Bulldogs the breathing problems are more pronounced and is known as "Brachiocephalic Syndrome." The first component of this is pinched nostrils (stenotic nares). The openings to the nostrils in these dogs can be no more than slits. Air sounds can frequently be heard with each breath. If you pinch your own nostrils and try to take a deep breath you will experience a feeling of negative pressure down near your larynx or voice box. This negative pressure does several things. It stretches or pulls on the soft palate which is the soft tissue just behind the hard palate (hard roof of the mouth). This condition is known as an elongated soft palate. These dogs will make excessive snorting or snoring noises. Often you can feel strong vibrations when lightly cupping your hand over the underside of their necks. Sometimes too, they will regularly spit up white frothy foam that becomes trapped in their throats. Pinched nostrils and elongated soft palates often go together and can only be helped by surgery. The nostrils can be opened with a "wedge resection" to remove tissue and create a wider opening. This can be done with very little scarring and the sooner it is performed on puppies the better. The soft palate is best shortened using a C02 laser. Lasers cause less swelling, bleeding, and pain allowing the pet to be discharged the same day. The benefits of these surgeries can be dramatic, and are greater in younger animals as compared to a dog that has been having problems for several years.

Two other components of the syndrome are everted laryngeal saccules and a hypoplastic trachea. The saccules are located down within the openings of the trachea or windpipe. The negative pressure formed higher in the airways causes a sac on either side to get sucked out into the airway with every breath. These appear almost as little balloons and further occlude the airflow. These dogs are usually the ones that have had ongoing problems left untreated. They tend to have trouble breathing with the least amount of activity or excitement. The saccules should be excised (cut out) to correct the condition. The last feature of the syndrome known as hypoplastic trachea simply means a very small trachea. Nearly all Bulldogs have a smaller diameter trachea (windpipe) than other dogs.
 

cali~jenn

..........
Mar 28, 2010
0
419
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
Sounds like revers sneezing to me. Cutty has never done it but my pug, Mugsy has many times. Scared the heck out of us the first few times but now we know it is just as dangerous as a sneeze. For him it seems to happen more seasonally and sept and oct usually seem to be the timing of it although this year he hasnt done it that I can recall, course the weather has been so odd anyhow. Here is a video of it I found online of a bulldog. Does this look familiar? Mugsy however is more dramatic when he does this, maybe something to do with the size.
Clyde the Bulldog Reverse Sneeze
 

bulldog family

New member
Aug 14, 2010
1,264
100
Bulldog(s) Names
Norman, LeRoy and China
Try hold his nostrils shut until he opens his mouth to breath. SHould stop it right away...
 

cali~jenn

..........
Mar 28, 2010
0
419
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
Try hold his nostrils shut until he opens his mouth to breath. SHould stop it right away...

Thats right, I had heard that too. Broke my heart tho to try on Mugsy cuz I felt like we were suffocating him. lol. Either way it isnt a big deal if that is what it is and will pass. Just like having a sneezing fit for us humans.
 

lexterwayne

New member
Community Veteran
Aug 13, 2010
2,289
89
texas
Bulldog(s) Names
lex 19 months
lex has done that twice in 9 months, scared the crap out of me but it only lasted about 10 secs each...

[MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION] - vegas sounds like he has the hicupps lol
 
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BullyB

BullyB

New member
Sep 23, 2010
46
3
Bulldog(s) Names
Bruno and Bunker
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
Thanks everyone. I watched the two you tube videos...sounds more like Clyde rather than Vegas. Bruno's are more drawn out like Clyde's. I appreciate the help. All of this time I have thought this other thing Bruno does is a reverse sneeze...he stands on all fours and the sides of his belly go in and out, and it's like he stops breathing for a minute and is trying to get something up...then he would vomit. He hasn't done this for a while....but now I am thinking that was more of a reflux issue because of the food he was on.
 

Libra926

Pistol Packing Bullyagrapher
Staff member
May 5, 2010
7,482
734
Washington
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Vegas and Orion
I'll have to try and get Orion. She sounds completely different then Vegas.
 

bullmama

Owner/Administrator
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jan 28, 2010
24,756
1,251
Tucson, Arizona
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
LOL @ Vegas..... I have never heard reverse sneezes so tiny before! How funny! Mine all do reallllly long in and out sounds.... I will try to get a video, but it does not happen too often.
 

cali~jenn

..........
Mar 28, 2010
0
419
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
Thanks everyone. I watched the two you tube videos...sounds more like Clyde rather than Vegas. Bruno's are more drawn out like Clyde's. I appreciate the help. All of this time I have thought this other thing Bruno does is a reverse sneeze...he stands on all fours and the sides of his belly go in and out, and it's like he stops breathing for a minute and is trying to get something up...then he would vomit. He hasn't done this for a while....but now I am thinking that was more of a reflux issue because of the food he was on.

Or it could be just a clearing of the throat maybe? If that is the right description? Cutty also does this gag thing every once in a while where he kinda hacks for a little bit then finally coughs up the phlem or whatever it is he was getting at. Doesnt vomit tho so it could be reflux also. So long as that isnt a problem anymore then I say good news!
 

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