# Ruby keeps "hacking"



## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Not sure if hacking is the right word or not, but she keeps coughing/hacking as if she has something thats bothering her throat. I looked in her mouth and moved her tongue as much as I could and felt around, but I didnt see or feel anything that could be irritating her throat. At one point she jumped up onto the couch and hacked and a globby sticky spit came out and rolled off the side of the couch. I did give her an egg yesterday and let her crunch the shell herself, could it have scratched her throat? Im ever so slightly freaking out. What should I do? 

Oh, and I gave her a teaspoon of coconut oil to lubricate/coat her throat, not sure if that would actually help at all though.


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## DeekenDog (Aug 29, 2011)

Sounds like it could be Kennel Cough.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

has she been where she could get kennel cough? I'd be slightly freaking out also but then i am quite overreactive. I'd probably go to the vet in the AM if it's not better.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

No, Iv heard kennel cough before, this isnt it. Plus, she hasnt even come into contact with another dog in over a month. Its been -11 celcius outside for the past few days so she hasnt even been outside. I know its definitly the sound of when she eats something that could have gotten stuck or something. When she does the gagging sound, she moves her tongue as if shes trying to get something out.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

How long has it been going on for? Aspen does this sometimes, but I don't worry about it. Dogs need to clear their throat sometimes. Maybe he has an itch that's bothering him, I don't know. But I don't worry.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Tucker does this alot. We think its because of him licking himself/the other dogs. I think he gets hair stuck and he will hack for hours. The first three times he did it, I ran to the vet, now I just give him pb and it seem to clear his throat so maybe its getting it and pulling it down. It could be possible she got a small scratch from the shell. I wouldn't worry too bad. Maybe try giving her something to coat her throat. If it keeps up or has been on going, I would take her in to be checked tho.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Mol's had this a couple of times. So, to make sure there's nothing stuck in her throat, I give a bit of bulky food. If it goes down the hatch ok, then I gather she's ok. If there was something stuck down there, I'm thinking other food wouldn't be able to get past.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Its just been going on for maybe an hour and a half. But, now since I gave her the teaspoon of coconut oil she hasnt done it. I even played fetch with her and got her all riled up and she was barking and chasing me, and she didnt do the hacking thing. Hopefully whatever it was has passed. She has done this in the past before, but this was the most Iv seen. She does have a tendency to chase my male cat and sometimes if she catches him she will eat some of his hair lol. Hopefully whatever it was has passed and I dont have to go to the vet tomorrow. *fingers crossed*


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Kennel cough has an incubation period of about 10-14 days. So you wont see symptoms until about 2 weeks after exposure.

I wouldn't worry too much even if it is kennel cough because most young, healthy dogs don't have any serious issues and get over it on their own. 

It sounds like she may have just irritated her throat somehow...


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## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

Eevee does the coughing/hacking thing whenever she eats my hair off the carpet. Eventually she pukes up a little hairball, and is totally fine after. I swear, she thinks she's a cat sometimes. A 40lb cat.

Edit: She also coughs a lot after a good game of tug, most likely because her throat becomes dry/irritated from all the growling and breathing through her mouth for an extended period of time. She'll drink water a couple times and be fine after that too :wink:


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

that doesn't sound like she has kennel cough, considering she ate egg shell...it's certainly possible her mucus membrane got a widdle scratch....and you cured her with coconut oil....

if it were to persist and it would if it were kennel cough.....coconut oil would not help....then i would think, perhaps something else is going on.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Yeah, like I said Im certain its not kennel cough, she hasnt been in contact with a dog in well over a month. So far she's still fine, since I gave the coconut oil she hasnt done it. Im feeding her chicken wings and liver for dinner right now, everything is going down smoothly. Should I continue giving some coconut oil daily to coat her throat, or do you think she should be ok now? 

It did start when I came home, she got super excited and was running and jumping around, doing her funny excited pug breathing, maybe there was a little scratch from the egg shell and her excitement irritated it. I guess Ill never know for sure.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

the nice thing about throats is that the mucosa heals quickly.

you could give it to her one more time and if she's not coughing, i'd say you're good to go.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

I gave her a 1/4 of a teaspoon more of coconut oil before bed just in case. And now thats shes in bed I dont have to worry about her drinking water and wash away all the oil. Get the antibacterial properties of the coconut oil working in case an infection might happen. Dont know what the chances of that are though. But, from now on, when I feed egg, I think im going to grind up the egg shell so I dont have to stress over her scratching her throat >.<


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

neither one of my dogs eats the shell...and frankly since they get plenty of calcium i don't see why they need it....so we just feed the egg...

it's just pathetic to see them stare at the shell.


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## Janet At Nutro (Mar 11, 2011)

Sophia does something similar, I think that it might be caused from her licking.
She has emotional issues and stresses very easily. She has these "attacks",
and then she starts licking herself, the carpet, furniture, etc. And she hacks
aways for hours and hours sometimes. The vet feels that since she has short
hair, that a piece might be getting caught in her throat. I give her a small dose
of honey, and that works sometimes.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Mikey does this sometimes. I think he gets his own hair in my throat.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

how is she doing today?


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Everything is back to normal  She ate her sardines for breakfast without any issues. No coughing or hacking. Thank goodness! Gotta love coconut oil <3


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