Reverse sneezing in dogs: harmless reflex or cause for concern?

Your dog suddenly takes several loud breaths in through the nose, stretches his neck and seems frozen in place for a few seconds? This looks dramatic, but it is often a so-called reverse sneeze. Here you can find out what's behind it and when you should seek veterinary advice.

Reverse sneezing is one of the situations that scare many dog owners the first time. The dog stops abruptly, stretches its neck, perhaps pulls its elbows slightly apart and breathes in suddenly and noisily through its nose several times. After a few seconds the nightmare is often over and the dog behaves completely normally again.

As worrying as this may sound, short, rare episodes are usually harmless in otherwise fit dogs. Nevertheless, it's worth taking a closer look - because frequent or unusually strong reverse sneezing can also have causes that require treatment.

During a normal sneeze, air is expelled explosively. During reverse sneezing, the opposite happens: the dog takes in air quickly and forcefully several times. Technically, this process is also known as paroxysmal respiration or the aspiration reflex.

The reflex is intended to free the area behind the nasal cavity and in the throat from irritation. The mouth is mostly closed during the episode. This is what distinguishes reverse sneezing from coughing, choking or real shortness of breath.

Typical are:

A short-term irritation in the nasopharynx is often enough. This can include dust, pollen, smoke, intense scents or stirred up particles. Excessive excitement, rapid eating or drinking and pulling on the collar can also promote an episode.

Reverse sneezing is more common in some dogs. Due to their anatomy, short-nosed breeds often have problems in the upper respiratory tract. Even very small dogs can react sensitively. Nevertheless, recurrent reverse sneezing should not simply be explained by breed alone.

Possible medical causes include inflammation, allergies, foreign bodies, nasal mites, changes in the throat or problems with teeth and tooth roots. The actual cause can only be assessed through a veterinary examination.

Stay calm at first. Excitement is easily transmitted to your dog and can prolong the situation. Take him away from a dusty, smoky, or heavily perfumed environment and give him space.

Some dogs find it helpful to be spoken to calmly and gently stroked on the neck or chest. However, do not manipulate the larynx forcefully or close the nostrils for long periods of time. As soon as your dog is breathing normally again, he can calmly collect himself.

A video of the episode is very helpful for the veterinary practice. Reverse sneezing is often long gone by the time of the appointment, and a recording makes it easier to distinguish it from coughing, choking, a collapsed trachea or other breathing problems.

Make an appointment if episodes are new, become significantly more frequent, last longer, or seem more severe. This also applies if there is coughing, nasal discharge, nosebleeds, frequent swallowing, poor performance or changes in breathing sounds.

An emergency occurs if your dog has persistent difficulty breathing, breathes with effort with his mouth open, collapses or his mucous membranes appear bluish, grey or noticeably pale. Then every minute counts: go to the nearest veterinary practice or veterinary hospital immediately.

Reverse sneezing usually sounds more dangerous than it is. A short episode in a dog that subsequently appears completely normal is often a harmless protective reflex. However, episodes that recur, become more severe or are accompanied by other symptoms need to be clarified. A mobile phone video and notes about the time, duration and possible triggers help with the diagnosis.