I just came back from Cornell University Vet School where I saw the expert on soft tissue. I had planned to flouroscope my dog to see if it was collapsed trachea or just the beginning of it. My symptoms were RS (reverse sneezing) and snorting and deep nasal sounding congestion (esp. while he slept). Though we have not had symptoms for awhile (it seemed to happen only in the very cold) I still wanted answers my vet could not provide and I was not going to wait until it got really bad again. The specialist vet (who also has chis himself) talked me out of flouroscoping him (he did not have to twist my arm as I dreaded the radiation) given his level of fitness and apparent vitality and the fact that it only came about when it was cold outside (below zero). So I am waiting until it starts up again (and of course hoping never!). The specialist did confirm what a canine masseuse had suggested and my home vet did not agree with that I could spray a saline solution (store bought and sterile) up his nose if it happened again. Of course I do not relish that (its not pleasant) but would try it should he sound like that again. I feared they would want to do an endoscopy but they did not. it was said nasal mites have similar syptoms but was ruled out (forgive me I forget why) Also, he had been on antibiotics (doxycycline for Lymes) for the month of January shortly before it started so I asked if that could have weakened his immune system to get colds or sinus infection or whatever and they emphatically told me that the antibiotic did not/could not have that effect. (Evidently its different in humans!?) I guess I trust them as it is the best Veterinary School in the US (what other choice do I have?) One more thing and this may be coincidence: my vet @ home offered me some Chinese Herbs and the day we started them his snorting, RS stopped completely by that same night! Seems to good to be true but they were cheap and harmless so if this sounds like it could help the herbs were: 8 Gentlemen/Kiang Sha Liu Jun and Bu Fei Tan Wang both twice a day for a month. "could also be allergies or uri. was it coughing or was it nasal snorting?" Melanie, what is URI? (not that I need anything else to obsess about-lol!) best, michelle and henry in the beautiful Catskill Mountains, NY
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