My Chihuahua Is Coughing, Is She Getting Too Excited Maybe?

I found this on another site, thought it might help.
Occasional bouts of sneezing, snorting, honking and wheezing are not unusual in chihuahuas, and is sometimes called a "reverse sneeze". This is usually caused by a elongated soft palate that is thought to become temporarily misaligned. It is a common trait in toy breeds. Pulling hard on a leash, drinking too fast or getting overly excited can lead to an episode of reverse sneezing. Reverse sneezing SHOULD NOT be confused with a different condition called "collapsed trachea".

Although reverse sneezing may appear to be scary, it only lasts a short time and can be ended by massaging the dog's neck and throat and encouraging the dog to swallow or lick. Another way to slow the reverse sneeze is to clap your hands to distract the dog, or pinch closed the dog's nostrils with your fingers, forcing it to breathe through its mouths and to swallow.

I have an older chi also with the same condition. I was told that it is very common for these breeds to get collapsed trachea's which makes drinking water or running around like crazy difficult. Mine coughs and hacks up foam every time he drinks his water. Also, if he gets into one of his "running around the house like a bullet" moods, he hacks for a bit. I do the same thing as you...I pick him up, rub his neck and pat his back lightly until he is breathing normal again. Especially for the older chihuahuas, I was told to keep him calm and not encourage him to run around and get all excited. But of course, talk with your vet about it. Good luck! :)

Could be fluid in the lungs

I'm not too familiar with dog care, but I had a very similar issue with my cat, Tigre, who is now healthy and playful as ever.

I still don't know whether it was a hairball issue, or something else, but this series of newly-acquired habits fixed it. I hope it can help you too.

* Every 3 weeks, I feed him 1 Tbps (table spoon) of Vaseline (yes, petroleum jelly) once a day, for one week. So, for one week of every month he gets a daily Tbps of this. If he doesn't want to eat it, I mix it with another Tbps of plain tuna, or anything else he likes to eat. This might only apply for cats, though, where hairball issues are prone to happen.

* Renewing his water every week.

* Washing the water bowl every 2 weeks.

* Making sure no other pet or animal has contact with his food and water.

Also, you might want to keep an eye on her, if she has access to grass. Some mammals eat grass when they have problems in their digestive system.

And, of course, another vet's opinion can't hurt.