Is my dog's reverse sneezing caused by candles or air fresheners?

Poor Ziggy! Luckily, reverse sneezing does usually go away on its own, but it can be very uncomfortable as its happening. Keeping him calm when it happens can help clear the irritant with less stress. If you suspect the rug is a cause, I would move it to a room Ziggy can't access and that is well-ventilated, and give it a chance to air out (or give it a good shake outdoors). Cleaning it, if possible, may also help remove any irritants or off-gassing chemicals that could be causing irritation as well. If the reverse sneezing continues, worsens, or doesn't improve even with moving the rug, a vet visit to make sure there isn't anything in the nose causing irritation, or the beginning of allergies, is best.

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.

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.

Reverse sneezing refers to the reflex of bringing air into the body to remove irritants in the upper area that lies behind the nostrils. The most common causes for younger dogs include infections, the existence of a cleft palate, or bronchial infections. Another primary cause is the involuntary movement of the hairlike cilia that line the respiratory tract and act to remove foreign matter from the air before it reaches the lungs. This involuntary movement of the hair is medically termed ciliary dyskinesis. The most common causes for older dogs include nasal tumors and dental diseases. Other causes can be mucus irritation, nasal passage obstruction, inflammation, excess nasal discharge or secretion, pneumonia, chronic vomiting, and gastrointestinal disease. Under vaccinated or unvaccinated dogs are at a higher risk of developing infections, which may lead to consistent sneezing. Chronic dental disease can lead to both chronic sneezing and reverse sneezing. I recommend taking Tucker into your vet to see what is causing the reverse sneezing, and how best to treat it.

Reverse sneezing can be stressful to your dog, and is very common in smaller breeds, but isn't usually harmful. Sometimes, opening your dog's mouth to let them take in air can help reduce the episode. If you're noticing a pattern with the episodes and excitement or food intake, taking steps to reduce people food (it's not good for dogs anyway and can cause other health issues!) or anxiety may help if it is related,. We also have this short article on reverse sneezing that may be useful! https://www.petcoach.co/article/reverse-sneezing-in-dogs/

Reverse sneezing is commonly caused by irritation to the back of the throat. In breeds like pugs with short noses there also tends to be excessive tissue in the back of the throats that causes irritation. You could talk to your vet and see if something like an antihistamine might be safe to try, although it may not help much. Some dogs that have major breathing issues related to brachycephalic airway disease, the syndrome seen in pugs and bulldogs that is related to malformation of the nose and airway, can benefit from surgery to trim some of the tissue of the soft palate.

If there is any irritation due to dental disease then yes, in theory this could be a probable cause. Allergies can also cause reverse sneezing. Usually, reverse sneezing causes no harm to the animal. It is also possible that there is something in the nasal passage causing irritation. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.