Why is my dog dry heaving, making hiccup sounds, or reverse sneezing?

I'm wondering if Luffy's problem while breathing might be a reverse sneeze. This is caused by any irritation to the back of the throat or nose and is usually not associated with a serious disease (see a video here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U3L4v0W2_Sw). The attempting to vomit may actually be a non-productive cough, the two can look very similar. With either of these problems a physical exam with a veterinarian could be completely normal. If you're able to take a video of what's going on you might be able to show your veterinarian during a recheck visit which might help them determine what Luffy is doing.

Reverse sneezing can be caused by allergies, upper respiratory infection, or something caught in the back of the nose or throat causing irritation. Sometimes the reverse sneeze can cause vomiting, or it is possible that some vomit got into the nasal passages and is causing irritation and thus reverse sneezing. However, I am more concerned that Benny is having vomiting and diarrhea at the same time. Small dogs can become dehydrated very quickly. Possible causes for vomiting and diarrhea include intestinal parasites, bacterial or viral infections, intestinal blockages, or other internal issues. If Benny has been having both vomiting and diarrhea for more than 24 hours, he should be seen by a vet as soon as possible.

Sometimes a loud productive cough like kennel cough can look really similar to vomiting in dogs do that’s one possibility. Tessie also may have retched once due to nausea if she ate something that she shouldn’t. If it doesn’t happen again I wouldn’t worry about it. If she continues or if she begins to vomit or cough I’d recommend seeing your vet.

Are you sure it's dry heaving and not reverse sneezing or something else? It would be best to video tape and episode so your vet can see it. We can determine a lot by seeing what the animal is actually doing. Sometimes what owner's describe is not medically correct. Please videotape an episode and show your vet. That would be extremely helpful. My best guess is that he has reverse sneezing or a collapsing trachea. Neither of which would be diagnosed easily with an x-ray. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Reverse sneezing is caused by irritation of the nasal cavity and/or larynx which an be allergy related or even caused by a nasal mite in rare cases. Yes pets can seem to be trying to vomit, but this is really them trying to scratch the irritated area. If she is doing this more frequently than comfortable with and does not respond well to offering her water during the event, then a vet visit is recommended to perhaps start her on allergy medicine and to check her for possible nasal mites. However, in most cases pets don't require any treatment for reverse sneezing episodes b/c they are infrequent and don't impede on the quality of life of the pet. I hope that Maddie's reverse sneezing episodes resolve soon! Best wishes and take care.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This could be secondary to an allergy, a reverse sneeze or coughing. I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. A thorough examination will help rule out multiple causes and even considering having x-rays performed would help rule out multiple causes. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello! Sometimes coughing sounds a lot like dry heaving, so it is possible that Otis might be coughing! If so, there are infectious coughs (such as kennel cough), that might be causing the trouble. Or, there could be something irritating his throat. GDV (gastric dilation/volvulus) is the classic cause of dry heaving, but since Otis is playing and eating, this is next to impossible! My recommendation would be, that if this continues, particularly if he is becoming lethargic or losing his appetite, he should ideally be checked by his vet! In the meantime, probably best to isolate him from other dogs, in case he has a contagious cough! Best of luck with Otis!