# Dog hacking after running/playing



## KittyKat

When i'm out for a run with my dog she will start hacking, like she's coughing up something and then swallows. She doesn't seem to need water or anything (she sometimes just ignores it) and isn't under any duress, she goes right back to flying around the field... but it just seems odd. 

Any thoughts?


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## xellil

I think lots of things can cause that - one thing is an enlarged heart pressing on her windpipe, which often occurs with exercise. 

I hope you find out what it is soon - it could be several other things, also, I'm sure.


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## Tobi

what kind of collar have you walked her on? has she ever snapped to the end of the leash etc? our husky used to cough and hack when doing the same thing, and even when he was just singing or talking to us. the vet told us that he may have damaged himself by snapping to the end of a line a few too many times. She told us there wasn't much they could do about it i don't know if it is the same thing but sounds familiar.


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## 1605

KittyKat said:


> When i'm out for a run with my dog she will start hacking, like she's coughing up something and then swallows. She doesn't seem to need water or anything (she sometimes just ignores it) and isn't under any duress, she goes right back to flying around the field... but it just seems odd.
> 
> Any thoughts?


Does your dog have a history of allergies? I know at this time of the year our guy is on benedryl...


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## xellil

Tobi said:


> what kind of collar have you walked her on? has she ever snapped to the end of the leash etc? our husky used to cough and hack when doing the same thing, and even when he was just singing or talking to us. the vet told us that he may have damaged himself by snapping to the end of a line a few too many times. She told us there wasn't much they could do about it i don't know if it is the same thing but sounds familiar.


My friend's dog had that - the vet told her it was a partially collapsed windpipe and like you say, nothing to do. That's the biggest reason I don't let my dogs pull.


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## Tobi

xellil said:


> My friend's dog had that - the vet told her it was a partially collapsed windpipe and like you say, nothing to do. That's the biggest reason I don't let my dogs pull.


Thats what it was! the biggest problem with him was he would be on the lead and out of nowhere he would just rush to the end of the lead and it would snap him back onto his back.


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## xellil

Tobi said:


> Thats what it was! the biggest problem with him was he would be on the lead and out of nowhere he would just rush to the end of the lead and it would snap him back onto his back.


Oh my Lord, I have seen that happen - it's horrible to see that. Need to keep the leash alot shorter.

I think it happens alot with little dogs, too. My friend's dog is a Pomeranian.


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## KittyKat

She's not on a lead when this happens, she's a damn fast whippet and loves going out and running through the fields.

She uses a martingale collar though because i know her windpipe is vulnerable... she pretty good and doesn't pull (heavy training on that)

I hadn't thought about allergies... but this sometimes happens inside when she is running around playing as well...

I'm not sure if i should be worried or not about this... i've seen a few whippets do this during lure coursing. She's going to the vets at the beginning of may to get some heartworm pills but of this keeps up I think i'll take her in sooner.


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## Maxy24

My aunt's Shih Tzu does this, she has a collapsing trachea. Basically when she sucks air down her trachea quickly it causes the trachea to be sucked shut. So she hacks to reopen it. It also happens of she's on any sort of collar and pulls at all, even just strains to sniff something. So she gets walked on a harness to remove pressure from her neck and if she starts hacking they stop exercise. It's really unfortunate because it does limit what you can do, luckily she's not a high energy dog.


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## KittyKat

I talked with one of the trainers at her dog class, she suggested that Piper was just over exerting herself.


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## DaneMama

Is this something she has always done or something that's started recently?


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## KittyKat

Well I've noticed it more recently but thinking back on it, she did it in the past the odd time... but it's becoming more common. 

It could be related to the nicer weather and the fact that she's running more now, and likely faster too.


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## KittyKat

Well today she didn't hack at all... and she did a fair amount of running, I guess she was just over doing herself before...


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