Pete and I are head-over-heels in love with Bonniedog. We absolutely adore her funny little face and persnickity mannerisms. If we’re on the couch, she sits and looks up until we invite her up. If no one’s on the couch, she just hops on up and rules over the world. She picks individual pieces of food out of her bowl, walks away from the bowl, puts the food on the floor, and then eats it before heading back to the bowl for another piece. After she poops, she kicks at it, like a cat burying poo in a litterbox. Sometimes so vigorously that she ends up with grass all over her head.
We also worry about her like crazy. Yesterday Pete had to work late, so I practically ran home to make sure she could go out. Not that it was even close to an emergency and I probably only saved 5ish minutes. She’s been scratching at the spot where they injected her microchip and we worry about her poor scratchy skin.
Last night, Bonniedog gave us a whole new thing to worry about. She is incessantly sneezing. And while she waits to sneeze (the ah-ah-ah– part before the ACHOO) it sounds like she is either choking or vomiting. It got really bad right as we were all heading to bed, and of course Pete and I could not sleep while it sounded like our dog was dying. Next thing you know, I’m googling “dog sneezing a lot” like a dumbass.
Everybody knows not to google symptoms to diagnose yourself. Just like college health centers always either tell you that you have mono or you’re pregnant, the internet always tells you that you are dying of something rare and terrifying. For some reason, I figured it would be different for dogs. Obviously, I was wrong.
Nonstop doggy sneezing either means 1) common cold; 2) allergy; or 3) TUMOR. Well, fuck. Apparently nonstop doggy sneezing accompanied by a bloody nose or a lot of pawing at the face means there’s something stuck in the nose or the dog is DYING OF TUMORS. Cold or respiratory infection is sneezing with a runny nose. Sneezing with a fever is MOAR TEWMURZ.
Luckily, there’s no runny or bloody nose, no pawing at the face, no fever. Her nose is cool and happydoggyesque. She has tons of energy. She still chases after squirrels and pigeons, she still loves getting treats, and she still asks permission before climbing up on the couch. Of course, around 2am when we were awakened by the sneezing and I moved her downstairs to the living room (sorry dog. I need sleep.), she even hopped up on the back of the couch like a damn cat. I didn’t like that because she’s kind of slippery. No falling please.
And yet, she can’t stop sneezing. It’s just a minor inconvenience to her, like hiccups. She doesn’t seem to care that she’s sneezing all the time, or hacking and wheezing during the ah-ah-ah- part. It’s possibly less annoying to her than hiccups are. She’s just “MEH! ah-ah-ah-ACHOO!” over and over and over. So bizarre.
Any petlovers have any idea what the story is here? I hoped that taking her out of a carpeted room to a less dusty area might help, but no such luck. The good news is that she seems just fine. The bad news is she’s still sneezing. Whiskey tango foxtrot.
12 comments
wvvignettes
August 10, 2011 at 9:49 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Sounds to me like she’s got an upper respiratory infection or allergies. Does Bonniedog have a vet visit coming up? If so, it could be worth mentioning, if only because the vet may be able to give her something to help her body kick whatever minor infection she probably has. Our kittens both had URIs, and were given some kind of protein-paste that helped boost their immune systems to get them over it.
Amie
August 10, 2011 at 10:00 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
She does. Her post-adoption follow-up will be soon, and we’ll definitely mention it. I don’t have the feeling that it’s something that needs emergency treatment, but it’s also not something to completely ignore.
wvvignettes
August 10, 2011 at 10:11 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’d agree with that. I wouldn’t rush her to a vet if she’s got an appointment coming up if her energy levels are good and she’s not acting like she feels bad.
Amie
August 10, 2011 at 10:17 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Yep. That’s what I was thinking. If she seemed *wrong* other than the sneezing, I’d get her in much quicker. But she has to go within 2 weeks or something, and this doesn’t seem to require immediate action.
Matt David
August 10, 2011 at 12:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Sundance (Our other cat) sneezed a lot. Vet recommended changing the kitty food – so far, so good. Maybe it’s a dietary thing?
Amie
August 12, 2011 at 12:24 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Interesting. We’re just feeding her whatever she came with. When we go to the vet soon, we’ll mention it and see what they recommend.
daisyjustdaisyDaisy
August 10, 2011 at 1:32 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Is she full on sneezing or is she making a snorrlfe and then a kind of sneezing? Becuase some breeds (beagles, Bostons, chihuahahas) can get this thing called an inverse sneeze where they kind of suck and snort. It isn’t caused by anything, it can be kind of scary for the owner, but it is perfectly harmless. If you think it could be allergies give her half a tablet of Benadryl (vet approved, pinky swear) and see if it helps- it always he’s RB’s itchies and sneezes go down.
Amie
August 12, 2011 at 12:25 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
There’s definitely a bit of a snorrlfe followed by sneezing. It sounds like she’s choking on something and scares the daylights out of us, but she seems fine. We’ll talk to the vet though to be sure.
Fabulously Awkward
August 10, 2011 at 2:41 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
When I first got Oxford, he sneezed a lot too…he just had a little cold. I’m with the others, just bring it up to the vet, and keep an eye on her til then. I’m sure she’s just fine. Can’t wait to meet herrrr!
Amie
August 12, 2011 at 12:26 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Aw, poor Oxford. You shall play with Bonniedog for hours and hours and she will love you bunches.
MK
August 10, 2011 at 9:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I admittedly know very little about dogs, but I do know that upper respiratory infections can be very bad in cats. Right after I got one of mine, she had a very bad UTI and it got into her eye. It was very bad, and she had eye surgery, so if it seems to be a UTI, I’d get it checked out. Also, if dogs are anything like cats, my vet recommended lysene, which can be purchased at any drug store or Trade Joe’s.
Good luck to you guys and your little Bonniedog.
Amie
August 12, 2011 at 12:27 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
eep! that is bad. it doesn’t seem to be an infection (no discharge, no nose temperature change, etc) but we’re keeping an eye on her.