My dog is reverse sneezing. What should I do to help him?

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.

Hi there! There is no cure for reverse sneezing. I know it seems like a horrible problem to have but it really does not harm the dogs. It looks and sounds worse than it is! When he is having an attack just keeping him calm and quiet and rubbing his throat would be the best thing you could do. The only other recommendation I would have is to get a HEPA air purifier for your home as this will cut down on the amount of allergens in the air which may help him breathe better. I hope this helps. Best wishes!

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.

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/

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 had a patient that had managed to get a piece of carrot up into his nasopharyngeal area. After a week or more of reverse sneezing we did a nasal flush and found it. I have also seen nasal mites and cancer cause these signs. If he doesn’t improve soon then a nasal flush or rhinoscopy would be indicated. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Charlie! Look up a YouTube video of a “reverse sneeze” to see if this is what he is doing. If so, this is nothing to worry about and you can Help him stop by rubbing him from head to tail. Sometimes Benadryl on a regular basis will help decrease the frequency. See link below. If this isn’t what he is doing then I would have your vet look at him. With him being so young, he could have a viral infection or an upper respiratory infection which needs to be treated. If left untreated he could get worse. If unsure, take a video with you when you go to the vet as this will help with the diagnosis. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/