Reverse Sneezing
December 1, 2021

Reverse Sneezing in Dogs

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The majority of this article is written by a certified veterinarian.

Taking care of a dog can come with some challenging situations where you have no idea what your pet is going through.

Reverse sneezing in dogs is often one such situation. Any unusual behavior while sneezing can be a sign of your canine best friend being a victim of the confusing dog reverse sneeze.

You might notice your pup having problems breathing while sneezing and panting, and the situation may leave you wondering what to do if your dog reverse sneezes.

This article is an in-depth guide to walk you through it all.

What is Reverse Sneezing in Dogs?

Reverse sneeze is clinically known as paroxysmal respiration, and is also called a backward sneeze in dogs.

In a dog’s reverse sneeze attack, the canine sharply pulls air into the nose, instead of pushing it out of the nose like a regular sneeze.

A dog trying to inhale rapidly and repeatedly, making snorting sounds, gagging, and wheezing are common signs of reverse sneezing in dogs. You may also see your dog breathing heavily through the nose.

Is Reverse Sneezing Dangerous?

Canine reverse sneezing is usually harmless for dogs, as long as they don’t have any underlying health conditions like heart or lung problems.

In addition, this behaviour does not have any lasting ill effects, and the dog is not hurt or in danger from reverse sneezing.

This is true even when it does not appear so at first glance; The wheezing, snorting, gagging, and heavy breathing may seem threatening to a pet parent. Such a scene might even be hard to watch.

While reverse sneezing, your canine companion may also extend the neck and head, taking long breaths, but this too is rarely dangerous.

Most of the time, your dog will become fully normal after the reverse sneezing has stopped, and you won’t see any sign of it.

A dog reverse sneezing attack might last for a minute or two, but it usually leaves without a trace, and doesn’t call for any concern.

What Causes Reverse Sneezing?

The reasons why dogs reverse sneeze are mostly due to inflammation or irritation of the nasal sinus or pharyngeal passages. It is believed to be due to excessive environmental irritants like smoke, dust, and pollen.

This could mean that the dog is reverse sneezing in an attempt to remove dust, foreign particles, or allergens (allergy-causing substances) from the airway.

Reverse sneezing can also be onset by over-excitement of the dog.

All in all, inverted sneezing in dogs can be caused by:

• Allergies

The dog could be allergic to certain environmental irritants like dust or pollen.

Being in an environment where these allergies are frequently stimulated can make the nasal passage swollen, causing repeated reverse sneezing attacks.

What To Do:
Make an appointment for an allergy test at your vet’s office, and do your best to keep the allergens away from your dog’s daily life.

• Chemical Products

Dog reverse sneeze can also be a result of chemical household products like perfumes and cleaning products.

The chemicals in these products can cause allergies and infections in dogs, and this can lead to reverse sneezing. Detergents used to wash dog towels and other accessories can also have such allergy-causing chemicals.

What To Do:
Take care to avoid spraying anything into the air while near your dog. Use as many natural cleaning products – including laundry detergent and dish soap – as possible when cleaning items your dog regularly touches.

• Over Excitement

Overexcited dogs are overall highly aroused and may show this by jumping incessantly, running, otherwise moving a lot, panting, and barking.

This out of control movement can sometimes lead to a sudden onset of reverse sneezing in dogs.

What To Do:
Use behavioral therapy to train your dog to remain calm in situations that overly excite them, such as the moments before a walk, the doorbell ringing, etc. Socialize them well by taking regular walks outside, arranging playdates, or taking a training class with other dogs.

• Nasal Mites

Pneumonyssus caninum is a tiny mite that lives in the nasal passage of the dog. These contracted mites stay inside your dog’s sinus cavities and can then cause a number of symptoms like

- bleeding from the nose,
- sneezing,
- labored breathing,
- high-pitched noisy breathing, and
- reverse sneezing.

What To Do:
Nasal mites are treatable, so take your dog to a vet if you notice other symptoms of nasal mites in addition to reverse sneezing.

• Elongated Soft Palate

An elongated soft palate is common in brachycephalic dog breeds and can lead to BOAS, which stands for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.

Among others, reverse sneezing, gagging, snoring, and snorting are common symptoms of an elongated soft palate.

What To Do: If your dog is diagnosed with an elongated soft palate, your vet can surgically shorten the soft palate to match a more normal length.

An elongated soft palate is common in brachycephalic dog breeds and can lead to BOAS, which stands for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.

Among others, reverse sneezing, gagging, snoring, and snorting are common symptoms of an elongated soft palate.

What To Do:
If your dog is diagnosed with an elongated soft palate, your vet can surgically shorten the soft palate to match a more normal length.

• Eating and Drinking

Another situation where you can see reverse sneezing is after or during eating and drinking.

Dog reverse sneezing after eating or drinking too quickly is a common condition. Consuming large meals can also contribute.

What To Do:
If this happens often, try switching your dog’s food bowl to a slow-feeding bowl to give them some more breathing room while having a meal.

How to Treat Reverse Sneezing in Dogs

If the inverted sneezing does not occur too often (as in most cases), a dog reverse sneeze treatment is not necessary.

The condition does not usually need any medication or visits to the vet.

However, some precautions and remedies that can help you prevent and reduce dog reverse sneezing are:

• Pet Gently

Try to calm your dog and pet them gently during a reverse sneezing episode.

You might focus on softly massaging the throat to make them swallow and stop the sneezing. If they move away or resist this motion, give them some space and just wait it out.

• Avoid Chemical Products

If your dog is susceptible to reverse sneezing, avoid using products that contain a lot of harsh chemicals and have pungent smells.

Buy gentle products with fresh, natural odors instead to avoid reverse sneezing in dogs.

• Keep Your Environment Clean

Add air filters in and near your dog’s space, and try to keep the floors clean of any potential allergens by vacuuming or sweeping regularly.

Avoid smoking or using strong air fresheners.

• Regular Vet Appointments

Take your canine friend for regular check-ups with the vet so that any potential threats can be diagnosed early on.

In some cases, the vet might give an antihistamine or anti-allergy drug if the allergy or attack is severe.

• Cover Nostrils

Cover the dog’s nostrils with a light cloth or your finger for a few moments. Try to keep them in a calm and cool place. This often stops reverse sneezing.