Is your furry buddy sneezing recently? Is it too frequent? Well, sneezing is quite common in dogs. They sneeze like humans, and sometimes they can’t even stop sneezing.
However, if it’s too frequent, then it can be a matter of concern.
You may wonder whether your canine friend is okay or not. Dogs sneeze for many reasons. It can be due to seasonal allergies, food allergies, or a foreign object stuck in the nostril. However, it can be initially hard to detect the real cause behind their sneezing.
In most instances, it doesn’t signal any serious health conditions. But it can be the reverse too. So to understand the main cause and treatment, it’s essential to know why your buddy is sneezing.
In this article, you will explore the possible reasons why your dog is sneezing, what symptoms to look for, and what to do to stop it or make them feel better.
12 Common Reasons Your Dogs Keep Sneezing and Solutions to Treat It
A lot of things can cause your dog to sneeze. If it’s occasional, there’s nothing to worry about. But if your buddy is having repeated or frequent sneezing, it might be alarming.
So let’s find out below the possible reasons your canine is continually sneezing and the ways to stop it.
1. Food Allergies
Your dog can frequently keep sneezing due to some food allergies. Well, food allergies more commonly affect the digestive system, coat, and skin. However, it can also cause respiratory issues. Thus, dogs with food allergies can suffer from repeated sneezing.
See whether or not the sneezing is ramping up within a few hours after your dog last ate. If so, a food allergy might be the culprit.
What can you do?
You can change your dog’s food. Try to choose foods with high-quality ingredients and other protein sources.
However, make changes in the diet slowly so that it doesn’t upset your dog’s stomach. Eventually, you will understand the right foods for their well-being.
2. Seasonal Allergies
It’s the most common reason your dog is sneezing. Dogs can suffer from seasonal allergies because they spend so much time outside. Or any window in your house remains primarily open.
Another possibility is that your buddy is allergic to pollen grains. Pollen could cause repeated sneezing. Your canine may require immediate allergy medication in these times when pollen counts are high.
What can you do?
Your vet can give you the best advice on it, as severe allergic attacks can only be treated with steroids.
3. Play Sneezing
Fascinatingly, dogs’ sneezing while playing is considered a sign of happiness. It even sends a signal to other dogs that your furry buddy is exercising their playing behavior.
What can you do?
If your dog sneezes only while playing and has no other symptoms, don’t worry! Your dog is fine. So just enjoy watching them live their best life while playing.
Sneezing during play is normal and signals your buddy is happy.
4. Foreign Object Inhalation
Dogs sniff objects that get stuck in their nasal passage. This usually occurs while exploring smaller items like broken toy pieces, tiny sticks, or foxtails.
It doesn’t occur commonly. But if your dog inhales any foreign object, call your vet right away or take them to a nearby vet clinic. The inhaled object can block their air passage or can simply be in the nose.
Either way, it will cause severe irritation and sneezing. Only a professional or vet can remove the object from the nose.
What can you do?
You can’t completely eliminate your dog’s inherent nature of nosiness. What you can do is stop them from getting into or digging up areas filled with dust.
You can try to check if anything is stuck in their nose and remove it using tweezers. But if you can’t spot anything, don’t paw the area. Instead, take them to your vet to examine the nasal cavity.
5. Nasal Infection
Another possibility is that your dog is suffering from upper respiratory infections, whether bacterial or fungal in nature. On the contrary, an infected tooth root can also cause infection in the nose.
Examine whether your dog is showing any additional symptoms. For example, a lack of appetite and mucus or bloody discharge.
What can you do?
If your canine is suffering from an infection, the only option is to take them to their vet.
6. Nasal Tumor
Older dogs that are over 7 years old are more prone to nasal tumors. And nasal tumors can cause sneezing. The frequency of sneezing can increase with time. Other symptoms include bleeding from one side of the nose.
What can you do?
Take them to your vet immediately to stop the bleeding.
7. Dental Issues
You might not know that dental issues can even cause sneezing in dogs. The situation can worsen if left untreated for too long. Factors that can lead to sneezing are:
- Tumor in the mouth and gums.
- Root infection
- Abscesses on the gums
- Damaged or rotten teeth
What can you do?
While some can detect this issue easily, others may not. The best thing to do is take them to the vet. They will carry out several dental tests and examinations to confirm the issue.
8. Nasal Mites
These small bugs are known to cause serious irritation. Your dog can have them while rubbing his nose in the dirt or digging a hole in the dirt. The inflammation and irritation due to nasal mites can lead to a thick, bloody discharge from your canine’s nose, which is associated with repeated sneezing.
What can you do?
Consult your vet right away to verify that your buddy has nasal mites. The vet will perform nasal flushing, nasal endoscopy, or a CT scan. An effective treatment for nasal mites is an antiparasitic medication. Your vet can prescribe it.
9. Nasal Passage Obstruction
Brachycephalic dog breeds like English bulldogs, Lhasa apsos, and boxers commonly suffer from airway blockage. This is because their heads are short, and eventually, the nasal passages are compressed. These dogs sneeze, snort, wheeze, and snore more than other breeds. They even suffer from difficulty breathing while tolerating heat and exercising.
What can you do?
Take your buddy to the vet for a proper checkup and diagnosis. Airway obstruction can even require surgery or medication in the worst cases.
You should always keep your dog’s weight under control, as obesity can make their condition worse. Apart from this, check whether their harness isn’t tugging at their neck. They shouldn’t feel any pressure.
10. Normal Communication Mode
Sneezing is just a normal way of communication in dogs. A dog often sneezes to communicate with another dog and even humans. They might sneeze while they are very happy or excited.
So if you see your canine sneezing while greeting you at the door or excited about playing, there’s nothing to worry about. It’s normal, and we consider it a common trait of dogs.
11. Uncontrollable Sneezing
Repeated or uncontrollable sneezing is a warning sign for pet parents. The most common factors causing this condition include nasal mites, foreign object inhalation, and nasal tumors.
What can you do?
If your canine is sneezing severely and also has a nasal discharge, run to a veterinary clinic or to your vet immediately.
12. Reverse Sneezing
While checking every detail of dog sneezing, your ‘must-know’ list must include the condition “reverse sneezing”. Besides ‘play sneezing,’ dogs also have reverse sneezing.
So what is it? Technically, a reverse sneeze isn’t a so-called sneeze. It’s better described as paroxysmal respiration.
Such a condition occurs when a dog inhales air quickly through the nose instead of exhaling air out of the nose. This causes a snorting sound that may sound like your buddy is choking.
Brachycephalic breeds and smaller dogs mostly suffer from reverse sneezing. However, you don’t have to panic about it, as this condition will subside within a few minutes.
What can you do?
If your dog suffers from reverse sneezing, massage their neck gently. Many experts even recommend blowing softly on the dog’s face gently. Many experts even recommend blowing softly on the dog’s face. It will stimulate the swallow reflex, reviving normal inhalation.
However, in case of a repeated attack or reverse sneezing, your vet can help you the most by detecting and treating the real cause.
Is Your Dog Sneezing with Other Symptoms?
You may find that your dog is not only sneezing but also showing other symptoms. Below are the common symptoms that your dog can exhibit:
My dog is sneezing with blood.
If sneezing in dogs is associated with blood, it’s an indication of something severe. The nasal passage must be having some serious issues. It can be fungal or bacterial infections, nasal tumors, or foreign body obstructions.
My dog is sneezing and whistling.
Is your buddy whistling along with sneezing? They might be suffering from respiratory issues that you must detect and confirm quickly. Asthma or other lung infections can cause wheezing.
My dog is sneezing and coughing.
Dog sneezing accompanied by coughing can signal a serious health condition. Some of the possible causes behind it include fungal or bacterial infections, lung parasites, canine influenza, and kennel cough.
Sneezing vs. Snorting
It’s often pretty hard to understand whether your dog is sneezing or snorting. Both conditions produce an almost similar sound. So how do we differentiate?
Note that snorting is pulling in the air accompanied by a sound. On the other hand, sneezing is an outward ejection of air.
Snorting is most common among brachycephalic dogs. However, overweight dogs or those with underlying health conditions are also known to snort.
FAQ’s
What Dog Breeds Are More Susceptible to Sneezing?
Dogs that are more prone to sneezing are the brachycephalic breed or the dogs with flat faces). This breed includes the Pug, Boxer, Boston Terrier, and English and French Bulldogs.
On the other hand, dogs with allergies are also susceptible to sneezing. They naturally respond to any allergen by sneezing. Thus, even if your dog isn’t flat-faced, it can sneeze due to pollen or dust while sniffling outside or on the ground.
Is frequent sneezing a sign of a severe health condition?
Sneezing isn’t a serious health condition in most instances. It can be a natural reflex of your dog against dirt or any foreign particles stuck inside their nasal passages. So you will find them sneezing while playing, or they are too excited.
Do dogs sneeze due to tracheal collapse?
Yes, if they keep sneezing and are unable to breathe, it can be due to tracheal collapse. This serious medical condition is more common in small dogs and affects their ability to breathe. The symptoms include breathing problems, coughing, and whistling. Moreover, sneezing sounds more like honking.
When should you take your dog to the vet if he is sneezing?
Repeated sneezing can even happen with seasonal allergies. They aren’t too dangerous for your health. Your spirited canine buddy can lead a healthy and happy life for many years. So don’t panic if they are repeatedly sneezing! Note that they are more likely to get seasonal sneezing attacks every spring because of dust and pollen.
What happens when your dog sneezes with blood discharge?
It’s a warning signal of a serious medical condition if your dog sneezes with blood discharge. Your buddy might have nasal mites or a tumor. Take them to your vet immediately.
What are the repercussions of sneezing and wheezing in dogs?
Sneezing and wheezing can be another serious health indication that needs quick attention. Dogs may wheeze due to asthma or seasonal allergies. In addition, if the wheezing is further accompanied by coughing, it can be a signal that they have consumed dog poison.
Conclusion
Your dog can keep sneezing due to various reasons, including the ones mentioned above. However, in most cases, sneezing isn’t harmful. Many dogs even sneeze to communicate with others. More significantly, they mostly sneeze when they are very happy and playful.
On the contrary, repeated sneezing can also be a sign of something serious, like a nasal tumor or bacterial infection. You have to keep observing your dog attentively. If you see any other symptoms or your canine is sneezing too frequently, take them to your vet. They can improve your buddy’s life with proper treatment and medication.
Elena Gherman is a highly skilled and knowledgeable animal care expert. At the start of her career, she gained practical expertise with multiple animals. In addition to that, she works as a DVM veterinary editor for Joy Pet Products, which focuses on offering reliable information on pet health and wellbeing. She meticulously reviews each piece of writing before it is published to make sure pet owners get the most precise and updated information possible.