It’s 8 o’clock in the evening, and your dog starts making a terrible snorting sound, like he can’t catch his breath…he seems panicked…has an odd posture, and his eyes are wide open like he’s terrified. You go to him in a panic, try to comfort him and make it stop, and see just what’s going on, but it just continues. Is he choking on something? Is he suffocating? Do you need to take him to the emergency veterinarian? Just as quickly as it started, it stops, and your dog seems to be right back to normal.
WHAT WAS IT – AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN??
Well, what your pet (and you) most likely experienced is called a ‘reverse sneeze’. There’s a very long medical term for this, but most veterinarians simple refer to it by its common name.
Normally, when your pet sneezes, it’s just like our sneeze – air exhaled forcefully out of the nose, and/or mouth and nose. In a ‘reverse sneeze’, however, air is pulled into the nose quite rapidly, making it sound like your dog is choking or can’t catch his breath.
The exact cause of a reverse sneeze is unknown, but they can be triggered by inhalant allergies, such as pollens and other irritants that your pet might be sensitive to. Research shows that dog breeds with long noses are more commonly affected, such as Greyhounds, Whippets, Dachshunds, etc.
SHOULD YOU TAKE YOUR PET TO THE VETERINARIAN?
Most episodes of reverse sneezing are over within a minute or two. If they are happening quite often, however, it never hurts to go see your veterinarian. If it IS allergy related, the veterinarian may be able to offer some relief. There is really no actual treatment, but in the off chance that your pet has actually inhaled a tiny foreign body, i.e., a piece of grass, or has a nasal polyp…it’s better to be safe than sorry.
CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF A REVERSE SNEEZE:
