Probably every owner of a four-legged friend, if he had not seen reverse sneezing syndrome in dogs, at least heard of this unpleasant phenomenon. Having become a witness, it is quite possible to get scared and even panic. Let's see if it is worth worrying in such a situation and how best to act.
What does it look like
Identifying it is quite simple. After all, every person saw a sneezing dog. Here the picture is exactly the same, but sneezing itself does not look like a sharp exhalation, but an inhalation. And most often there is a series of similar sneezes. Usually such convulsive breaths are accompanied by grunting or snorting. In some cases, dogs stretch their necks, lie on their stomachs, fall on their front paws or strain their pectoral muscles. Some breeds may show increased amounts of saliva.
By duration, seizures are rarely long - almost always limited to one minute or less. Upon completion, the dog behaves normally without showing symptoms of pain or discomfort.
But outwardly it looks rather frightening - an inexperienced owner may immediately think that the dog begins some dangerous attack or is suffocating. However, there is usually no reason for concern and an immediate visit to the veterinarian, as long as you dial the phone or look for the keys to the car, the symptoms of reverse sneezing will disappear.
Which breeds are found
In general, reverse sneezing can be seen in dogs of almost all breeds. But first of all, small dogs are affected by this: French bulldogs, pugs, Pekingese, poodles, Yorkies, toy terriers. This is due to the structural features of the skull - note that all the breeds listed above have a short muzzle. Most often it is an elongated soft palate. With a sharp breath that precedes ordinary sneezing, it can be absorbed into the respiratory throat, which is the reason for the reverse sneezing.
Of course, that sounds pretty creepy, and it doesn't look too fun. But it is worth repeating, in most cases there is no reason for unnecessary worry and visiting a veterinarian.
Reasons for Reverse Sneezing
Alas, until now, doctors have not precisely determined the causes of reverse sneezing in dogs. There are quite a few hypotheses, due to which a similar phenomenon can be observed, but it is not clearly proven which one serves as the trigger for a series of inverse sneezes. However, it is possible that there are several reasons. Therefore, it will be useful to talk about each of them.
One version is nervous strain or overexcitation. Indeed, quite often the reverse sneezing begins at the very moment when the dog is extremely happy, for example, the owner came from work. Or, on the contrary, when she is frightened by something, for example, the owners decided to put things in order at home and turned on the vacuum cleaner - the worst enemy of many dogs.
Another possible reason is pungent odors. If a dog who has lived in your family for many years has first experienced symptoms of a reverse sneeze, try to remember if you have recently changed your perfume or shampoo, liquid soap, and detergent in the kitchen. Do not forget that pleasant and hardly perceptible smells for you can powerfully beat the dog's snuff receptors. After all, their sense of smell is a much more important tool in understanding the world around them. It can also be observed after repair, for example, painting floors, varnishing furniture. In general, nothing bad will happen - over time, the smell will disappear or the dog will get used to it.
It is much worse when backward sneezing in small-breed dogs is the result of small foreign bodies entering the airways. Curious dogs try to sniff any small objects. It is only natural that with powerful sniffling (especially pugs and bulldogs stand out), they could breathe something. In this case, the assistance of veterinarians may be required.
Finally, the cause may be excessive load, heat or a small amount of oxygen in the room. Do not forget, dogs with short faces often suffer from heat. After all, they "sweat" only in tongue, thus cooling the body. A short muzzle dramatically reduces the efficiency of the process.
How harmful is this?
As mentioned above, reverse sneezing is not a danger in itself. However, it is worth considering that in some cases it is only a symptom reporting the presence of more serious diseases.
For example, in pugs, French bulldogs and Pekingese, the syndromes of the bracheocephalic symptom are very similar to reverse sneezing - an inexperienced breeder may well confuse them.
Therefore, having noticed at least once the reverse or reverse sneezing in your pet, you should remember it. If it is repeated extremely rarely, several times a month, and the dog feels excellent at the same time, then you should not raise the panic - everything will either pass over time or remain at the same level that does not bother the dog too much.
It is much worse if all the symptoms begin to manifest in an adult dog, and over time, their frequency will increase. Also, the breeder should be concerned about the abundant discharge from the nose that accompanies sneezing.
Well, if you notice that during one of these attacks your pet has lost consciousness, then you can’t hesitate - you need to immediately contact specialists. It is highly likely that there is heart failure or serious allergic reactions. In this case, if the real causes of reverse sneezing syndrome in dogs have been identified earlier, the treatment will be more effective and easier.
If you still go to the doctor
Does the dog have any of the alarming symptoms listed above? In this case, you should still contact your veterinarian. Better he will examine the patient, take the payment and reassure you that the dog is healthy and in good shape, than a dangerous disease is launched, time is spent and this will cause a serious illness or even death of the dog.
By the way, referring to specialists, it will be useful not only to talk about the symptoms, but also to demonstrate them. Of course, the dog will not sneeze on order. But most owners today have smartphones with very good cameras. By recording a sneeze attack on the video, you can greatly facilitate the work of a veterinarian. An experienced specialist, having looked at such a record, will say with a high degree of certainty whether this is a normal reverse sneezing or if there are other symptoms that pose a great danger to the life of the pet.
Diagnostics
Turning to the veterinarian, be prepared for the fact that he will prescribe certain procedures to more accurately diagnose the disease.
To begin with, an experienced specialist will check for the presence of foreign objects in the airways. Yes, any trifle, once in the nose or stuck in the nasopharynx, can provoke attacks of reverse sneezing, sometimes bringing them to suffocation.
Tests will certainly be conducted to confirm or reject the possibility of developing different types of laryngitis or rhinitis. Alas, sometimes they give about the same effect or simply become the cause of reverse sneezing.
There are certain infectious diseases that lead to the same consequences. Fortunately, a conventional blood test in most cases allows you to fairly accurately identify them and, accordingly, prescribe an effective treatment that quickly leads to the desired results. Among such diseases there are: herpes, chlamydia, adenovirus, bordetellosis, parainfluenza and others.
In some cases, dental problems can lead to exactly the same consequences. Having solved the problem, you will immediately save your pet from attacks - a long treatment for reverse sneezing in dogs is not required.
A veterinarian can also diagnose a normal elongated soft palate. In this case, there is no need to worry - alas, it will not be possible to get rid of the attacks of reverse sneezing, but it will not develop into more serious problems.
Is it treatable?
Alas, a definite answer to this question cannot be given. First you need to understand what exactly is the reason - this will be established during the diagnosis. Infectious diseases can be cured with appropriate drugs, tooth problems, most often, their removal. If the cause is a deformed soft palate, you will have to come to terms with the attacks.
In cases where an allergic reaction is observed in dogs, it will be necessary to ventilate the housing more carefully to get rid of the unpleasant odor or particles in the air that cause an attack. But it is better to abandon the use of drugs that cause allergies, or temporarily isolate the dog in a room where they are not used. For example, if you decide to varnish a table in the kitchen, close your favorite in the bedroom until the varnish dries and the smell disappears.
How to complete reverse sneezing
If it seems to you that the dog is suffering another attack or discomfort, there are a few simple, but quite effective methods to stop it.
The easiest way is to catch the dog in the face and blow it sharply into the nose. Due to surprise and impact on the nasopharynx, this allows you to stop the attack.
You can also massage your throat slightly, causing the dog to swallow.
Another reliable way is to hold the dog’s nostrils with his fingers for a few seconds, and then let him take a deep breath.
As you can see, the tips are simple, but in most cases they can achieve the desired result.
Conclusion
Our article is drawing to a close. Now you know enough about reverse sneezing in a dog — causes and treatment, as well as symptoms. Surely this will allow, if you do not solve the problem, then stop worrying about it, if it really is not dangerous.