My dog makes a strange noise through his nose. Is it a reverse sneeze?

I'm wondering if Daisy might be reverse sneezing when she's making this new noise. A reverse sneeze and a sneeze can have similar causes - anything that irritates the nose and throat including allergens, upper respiratory infections, nasal foreign material like pieces of grass or even parasites can all cause sneezing and reverse sneezing. I usually don't get too concerned about either one unless there is also nasal discharge or the sneezing/reverse sneezing is occuring frequently enough that it seems to be affecting the pet's ability to rest. If so I think that your best bet is to see a vet unfortunately.

Hi there. Since this has happened to Bentley several times today, I would recommend having him seen by a vet and having an xray taken of his chest. It could still be a reverse sneeze but it's always better to be safe than sorry. I would also check and see if he'll stop if you briefly cover his nose. This is typical with a reverse sneeze and may give you some clues as to what is happening. Also try and get a good video to show your vet. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! My guess is that Buddy was reverse sneezing. You can look at some YouTube videos ("reverse sneezing dogs") to see if Buddy's symptoms are similar. Look at a few different videos. If you think this is what he was doing, it is no big deal. The cold air probably just irritated his nasal passages. There is no treatment for reverse sneezing; it is not a problem/issue and it is not life-threatening. Reverse sneezing is very common. If it was not reverse sneezing, then I would suggest you just monitor him and if the behavior recurs then you should take Buddy to your vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. A reverse sneeze can be caused by irritants in the upper airway region so if there has been an increased amount of dust in the air this could potentially be causing the symptoms you are seeing. An environmental allergy or an upper respiratory infection could also lead to these symptoms. A reverse sneeze should resolve within a short amount of time. However, if it persist or worsens, I would have a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. 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.

Reverse sneezing is due to nasal discharge. We blow our nose to remove the excess discharge. Dogs suck back and swallow the discharge. When it gets in the nasal passages it can cause reverse sneezing. This is nothing to be overly concerned about. You can give benadryl to reduce the nasal discharge. There is a section on this website with information and dosages of common over the counter medications. Asthma is a much more serious lung problem that is not the same thing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Veer.

It sure could be reverse sneezing and that is the most likely diagnosis based on your description. If Oliver is eating and drinking and acting fine then I would just monitor for now. If the "sneezing" or weird breathing happens again, or if he stops eating, I would get him to the vet for an exam. Try to video tape the episode so you can show your vet what you are talking about. That would be very helpful. Hope this helps. Best wishes. If you have more questions feel free to post again!

If he continues to do so it would be a good idea to get him checked. Reverse sneezing is usually meant to clear the nasal passages of irritants so if he can't clear what is bothering him it may mean he has something else going on that induces these sneezing episodes. Pay attention when he does it to see if there is something in common with each incident that may be causing or contributing to the reverse sneezing that you can pass along to your vet, even video it if you get the chance.