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funny snorting/can't breathe properly question

emmawright

emmawright

Well-known member
hi everyone, sorry if i am asking a question that people have already asked on here, but i wanted your advice and i have never had a cavalier before so here goes....

i have noticed daisy making a snorting funny noise, as if she can't breathe properly, she then comes to me as if "help me ... i cant breathe properly!" so she sits on my lap and i try to calm her down. its kinda of like if i cry and i get so upset that i struggle to breathe....

anyway, just wanted to ask.

:thnku:
 
This sounds like a common issue with cavaliers. Calm the dog, place your hand over her muzzle and have her look down. This usually stops the snorting.
 
If she gets excited or runs around like a nutter, normally due to palate or something, we just hold the nuzzle and stroke under the neck.
 
Great question and answer. My Merry does this too and I didn't know there was something I could do to assist her. I'll try what you suggest next time she starts snorting to catch her breath.
 
My pups do this occasionally too. Gently tilting the dog's head down by the muzzle stops it immediately.
 
It does help. Holly had an episode last weekend and I covered her nose and pushed it down- it stopped almost immediately after. Before I knew this technique it could seem to go on and on, although I found picking Holly quickly and soothing her often stopped it too- maybe the surprise of suddenly swooping through the air. Like hiccups! :D
 
This sounds like a symptom of an elongated soft palate. This is an inherited condition in Cavaliers, which are prone to it due to the comparatively short length of the Cavalier's head and a compressed upper jaw.

They are included among other breeds called "brachycephalic", which means short-nosed and refers to dogs with short muzzles, noses, and mouths. The throat and breathing passages in brachycephalic dogs often are undersized or flattened. The head's soft tissues are not proportionate to the shortened nature of the skull, and the excess tissues tend to increase resistance to the flow of air through the upper airway (nostrils, sinuses, pharynx and larynx).

The elongated soft palate is a form of brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BAOS), which is discussed at length at http://www.cavalierhealth.org/brachycephalic.htm

Rod Russell
Orlando, Florida USA
 
For those of you who have a dog who does the cavalier snort, do they also snore very loudly? My oldest snores to rattle the rafters and is also the only one who does the snorting on occasion. Both of which are symptoms of the short nosed dogs. Does your dog snore too? Any who also have MVD?
 
My India has the shortest snout of my crew and also does the cavalier snort most often, but not very often. You can hear her breathe at night, but very little snoring.

Geordie, my youngest by one month, does not do the cavalier snort very often at all, but has a slight heart murmur, and if he lays on his back he snores enough to wake the dead!

Chocolate also has a slight murmur, but rarely, rarely snores or snorts. :flwr:
 
Well Karlin, I know you don't have enough on your plate...but is this maybe something that go in the Caring for your Cavalier section. I see this question come up a lot. I know the first time I saw it it scared me to death. Luckily I was at my breeder's when it happened to one of her dogs and she explained it to me and showed me what to do. So when Jake did it...no biggee!!!
 
Happened to me about a month ago for the very first time and it scared the crap outta me. I was so glad and relieved when I posted on here and was reassured as to what was going on.
 
molly said:
For those of you who have a dog who does the cavalier snort, do they also snore very loudly? My oldest snores to rattle the rafters and is also the only one who does the snorting on occasion. Both of which are symptoms of the short nosed dogs. Does your dog snore too? Any who also have MVD?
Click to expand...

Merlin snorts when excited and boy does he snore! I used to have trouble distinguishing if its was my other half or Merlin.......since my OH has stopped smoking its definitely Merlin who makes the louder snores!

(No MVD here thanks!)
 
My Toby has started this for the past two weeks or so. There is no pattern to it at all. Doesn't seem to come after a good run. Mostly when he has just be sitting around.

I'm probably going to get really yelled at for this, but I am a smoker, and was terrified that the smoke was causing it. I'll bet that it sure doesn't help.
 
Mary Alice has a very short snout and snores something awful.

Our beloved Charley was a great snorer, so I find it somewhat comforting, to hear it again!!

This morning, Mary Alice found some birds and a squirrel in the garden and had a very severe bout of snorting.

I had to pick her up and wisk her inside before it stopped.

Charley used to snort when he was over-excited or after a good run.

I'm very glad to find information about how to stop it.
 
Had to laugh - reading through these postings, with Chloe at my feet, who then starts to snort!!! :lol:
(and yes, she's got a very short snout)
 
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