# Does anyone know what can cause reverse sneezing in a dog?



## Kina_A (Jun 8, 2009)

I've noticed that yesterday and today Kina has had a few attacks of reverse sneezing. What I mean by this is, it is a kind of deep, snorting sound and almost sounds like she's in respiratory distress.

My other dog Sadie gets them as well. When they go into their little episodes I usually just try to calm them down and rub their throat area until they stop.

Usually prior to having their episodes, they'll either be running and playing or drinking to fast.

They seem fine after. Does anyone know what can cause this? Should I be concerned?


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## CorgiKarma (Feb 10, 2009)

Our dachshund does this after he's been rooting around outside. I've always thought it to be allergy related?


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## Spitzy (Oct 13, 2007)

I seem to recall this (reverse sneezing) was the cause of my first new-owner vet trip! My dog was getting a number of "attacks" for a few days in a row.

It was awhile ago so I'm having trouble remembering everything really clearly, but I think the vet said that one cause is effectively the sensation of post-nasal drip. So allergies, yeah. I'm pretty sure this is when I bought benadryl for my dog on the vet's recommendation. I _think_ she also told me that during the reverse-sneeze attacks, to encourage my dog to tip her nose downward (to help alleviate the drip sensation). So when my dog has them occasionally these days, I gently rub the top of her nose and kind of guide her to tip her head downward. Not sure how much that actually helps.

Another cause the vet mentioned, is that dogs can actually get mites living in their noses that irritates them and causes the sneezing. I believe she said some forms of worming medication are effective against the mites.


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## Kina_A (Jun 8, 2009)

Allergies eh? Interesting. 

I'm thinking its may be more allergies then mites. Maybe the ragweed is getting to her. The rag weed pollen is really high in our area lately.

If she's still having fits by the end of the weeks, I'll call the vet.


Thanks for the info!!


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## StellaLucyDesi (Jun 19, 2008)

Stella sometimes has reverse sneezing episodes. She doesn't have allergies, as far as I know. They usually happen when she is too excited or running around playing. They are not harmful at all. They also happen frequently to dogs that are short-nosed like Cavaliers, Pekingnese (spelling?), Shih-tzu, etc.


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## K9companions (Nov 13, 2008)

My parent's Boston Terrier has it often but it is because he has a lot of extra gas that he likes to noisely snort out. However, Hunter also gets it, but it's allergy related (ironically I think he's allergic to the same thing I am, mold spores.)


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## Martiniz (Jul 12, 2009)

Causes include excitement, eating or drinking, exercise intolerance, pulling on a leash, mites, pollen, foreign bodies caught in the throat, perfumes, viruses, household chemicals, allergies, and post-nasal drip. If an irritant in the house is the cause, taking the dog outside can help simply because the dog will no longer be inhaling the irritant.

sources from veterinarypartner.com


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## Kina_A (Jun 8, 2009)

Yeah, I find when they get excited they tend to have fits!! I did notice that today Kina has the sniffles. So who knows it may be allergy related.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

Icesis gets them from time to time. Usually if she's been excited about something. It seems to happen in either short nose breeds or toy breeds. Perhaps something to do with smaller nasal passages?


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## erway (Jun 15, 2008)

This is one of the reasons I love this forum! I've never heard of reverse sneezing until one very late night visit to the ER Vet with Gomez (my dachshund that passed away 6 months ago) and never until now have known of anyone else that has ever even heard of it. I thought he was having some kind of problem because it sounded like he couldn't breathe. My vet prescribed baby benadryl for his allergies...worked like a charm.


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## Kina_A (Jun 8, 2009)

The first time I ever witnessed Sadie have one of her episodes, I thought she was having an asthma attack or something. It scared the living crap out of me!! It was my sister (Sadie's previous owner) who told me what they were and not to worry about it that it was nothing serious. 

She’s has them a couple of times a month and sometimes she’ll go for a long while and not have them at all.

I just thought it was a Sadie thing. It’s the fact that now Kina has them too which confused me! When Kina had her first one in front of me, the first thing out of my mouth was “oh no, not you too!” lol.

But the fact that they are both getting them this week, has me thinking, maybe there is something in the air that is bothering us because even I've got a bit of the sniffles.


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## LadyD (May 10, 2009)

Reverse sneezing is pretty common in short nosed dogs. I've had two Boston Terriers in the last 21 years so I'm pretty much used to it.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

Kina_A said:


> The first time I ever witnessed Sadie have one of her episodes, I thought she was having an asthma attack or something. It scared the living crap out of me!! It was my sister (Sadie's previous owner) who told me what they were and not to worry about it that it was nothing serious.


Same here! The first time you experience the reverse sneeze it's pretty panic inducing! Now it's all old hat to me, lol.


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## Poly (Sep 19, 2007)

"Reverse sneezing" has nothing to do with actual sneezing. It is essentially a physiological condition - it is just the way your individual dog's respiratory system is 'constructed'. It is not really _ caused_ by any of the outside conditions mentioned - they are just the triggers. For example, some dogs "reverse sneeze" during exercise - but exercising isn't the cause, it is the trigger. 

It sounds terrible when it is happening, but it is almost always self-correcting.

Here is a dog with a pretty intense "reverse sneeze". Many cases are not this intense.

Reverse Sneeze

The technical terms for "reverse sneezing" are _mechanosensitive aspiration reflex_ and _pharyngeal gag reflex_.

Short muzzle breeds have been mentioned. Thay can have a somewhat different problem - or set of problems - known as the _Brachycephalic syndrome_. This is not quite the same thing as "reverse sneezing", although it is also physiologically based. It is often much more serious and may need surgical correction.


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## cece6 (Jul 4, 2009)

I have three dogs that have reverse sneezing issues.Our chihuahua used to do it often but hasnt in a long time, maybe she outgrew most of it.
One of our italian greyhounds does it occasionally too.But our boston terrier does it the most, he has awful hayfever(rhinitis) and will sneeze and snort and do the reverse sneezing(always in the middle of the night in our bed so he can wake us up)..
When we first got our chibaby I was worried she had a collapsing trachea because when she did it she would actually get dizzy because she would hyperventilate.But the vet said it wasnt that at all, we were very relieved.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

Poly said:


> "Reverse sneezing" has nothing to do with actual sneezing. It is essentially a physiological condition - it is just the way your individual dog's respiratory system is 'constructed'. It is not really _ caused_ by any of the outside conditions mentioned - they are just the triggers. For example, some dogs "reverse sneeze" during exercise - but exercising isn't the cause, it is the trigger.
> 
> It sounds terrible when it is happening, but it is almost always self-correcting.
> 
> ...


So basically... it's the equivalent of a human hiccup fit? As in, it's a spasm, but not dangerous or anything.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

I never could figure out why they call it "reverse sneezing" because it's not a sneeze. I've had several dogs have it but the first time it was terrifying. I too, try to get them to stand still and talk to them in a soothing voice, all in an attempt to get them to calm down. Butch has done it several times and I had a chow/lab who had them quite frequently. 

I was told it's NOT allergy related and is really nothing serious. And yes, I liken it to an asthma attack as well...sure does sound like one!


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## cece6 (Jul 4, 2009)

Maybe allergies can just trigger it.Our boston generally doesnt have problems with reverse sneezing unless he is having allergy problems then he does it on a daily basis until his meds kick in and he gets better, then they quit again.


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## heidiann (Feb 3, 2008)

Poly said:


> It sounds terrible when it is happening, but it is almost always self-correcting.
> 
> Here is a whippet with a pretty intense "reverse sneeze". Many cases are not this intense.
> 
> ...


Thank you for posting this video! I always wondered what our dog, Onyx was doing when she had her little "fits". She's had them since a puppy. I never even thought to look it up on YouTube!

That's exactly what she's doing! Not as bad as the little italian greyhound, but there have been a few times where it seemed worse than others. 

She's 8 now and has been doing it since she was a puppy.


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## michelleboston (Feb 25, 2009)

This happened to Bailey when he was very young. The vet told me that it was most likely due to his short muzzle and the fact that his soft palate hadn't fully developed. She said that he should outgrow it, and he did


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## th1 (Feb 2, 2010)

We are in So. Calif, and my dog (Chi-Pin) just started having this in the past 2 weeks, only when we go outside. The snorting and honking sound is frightening. I thought he was trying to throw up.

I take him for walks every day and this is the first time this has happened. 

We have had him since January 2010, so I cannot confirm that this may be due to allergies this time of year?? 

But, then again, he sniffs everything under the sun, so who knows??


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