My Shih Tzu reverse sneezes. Is it dangerous? What can I do?

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/

I am sorry to hear about Max. What you are describing sounds like it could be a reverse sneeze. I would recommend videotaping these episodes and showing them to your vet. You can read more about this condition at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952493 . If it is happening several times a day, your vet may consider doing a trial of antihistamine or treating prophylactically for nasal mites. I would let them know how frequently it is happening. It is usually not something of serious concern, but can be a sign of irritation of the nasal passages.

No. It is not serious as long as you are sure that is what the actual issue is. I would suggest if it happens again try to video tape the episode with your phone and just drop by the vet's office, show the video to them and ask if they think it is reverse sneezing. One of the vet techs/nurses should be able to help you. Here is a link to an article about this condition. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2335 Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello, and thank you for your question! Lulu is such a cutie! Reverse sneezing is quite common in small breed dogs and for the most part is quite harmless. You can try to prevent the episodes by minimizing her level of excitement (e.g. Not getting overly excited yourself when she greets you at the door), and using a harness instead of a collar when out for walks. One thing that I did with my dog to stop the reverse sneezing episodes was to gently put my finger across his nostrils, to block the airflow through the nose and force him to breathe through his mouth. This worked so well that he eventually learned to do it himself! If the reverse sneezing and coughing episodes seem to be truly bothersome to Lulu, I would recommend taking her to the vet. In rare cases, reverse sneezing may be associated with allergies or nasal foreign bodies. I hope this helps, and that Lulu is otherwise doing well!

Usually you can just leave Rosko be until it stops. You can also try lightly blowing in his face. When you do this, it causes him to swallow a few times which should stop the reverse sneezing. If this is a consistent problem, then I would have him seen by a vet to have it treated. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I agree that is sounds like Turtle is reverse sneezing. If this isn't new for her, some dogs just do it more than others. If it is worsening or is a new behavior then I would have her examined. Causes can be anatomy differences in the oropharynx, allergies, infection or foreign body (grass, piece of food, etc). Sometime antihistamines help or a course of antibiotics. If is is a new thing then sedating and looking up the nose, in the back of the throat, above the soft palpate and scoping can be done. But all that can be done at home during an episode is massaging the neck and calming the dog down. I wish you the best!

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!