Last Updated: March 31, 2023
Worried why your dog is sneezing a lot lately?
The reason behind dogs sneezing is the same as us unless you sense something that is bothering your pooch besides other health indications.
Sneezing is a normal mechanism of blowing out irritants through the nasal passage or throat.
Dogs also sneeze for the same reason which is mostly harmless and doesn’t require any medical attention at all.
You will often notice them sneezing while playing or strolling but if your dog is exhibiting low energy recently accompanied by frequent sneezing then it needs an immediate health diagnosis to trace the underlying cause.
Having said that let’s talk about common behaviors associated with your dog’s sneezing which may seem abnormal to you and when you should act on it.
Why is my dog sneezing a lot and what to do about it?
To help you understand your dog’s sneezing pattern, we have rounded up some possible reasons here:
- First on our radar are airborne irritants, particles, and even certain domestic chemicals which when get through their sniffer make them sneeze.
- Next are seasonal allergies that intensify their sneezing when they inhale pollen showing other symptoms like watery eyes and nasal discharge.
- If you are wondering what else is making my dog sneeze a lot lately, then don’t ignore the viral infections that can worsen the condition.
Thankfully, these common causes are curable with proper diagnosis and medication. But you must also discard the use of certain chemicals that irritate their nose and maintain your home hygiene to keep off allergens.
However, there could be other reasons behind your dog’s uncontrollable sneezing like a tumor or polyp in their nasal passage accompanied by the bleeding nose and nasal discharge.
This is when you need to rush to an experienced vet before the situation goes beyond control.
Why is my dog reverse sneezing a lot?
Reverse sneezing in dogs isn’t unnatural to be worried about.
You can detect this pattern when your dog honks or snorts loud as if it is trying to inhale the sneeze.
In fact, reverse sneezing indicates your dog is trying hard to expel out the irritants that are stuck at the end of their soft palate causing them to make such scary noise.
Reverse sneezing in dogs lasts less than 30 seconds till your dog gets back to normal breathing and feels comfortable with its usual barking and swallowing.
There is nothing to be scared of as most dogs reverse sneezes due to overexcitement, irritants in their nasal passage, eating intolerant foods, and pressure on the leash besides other common causes.
So, is reverse sneezing harmless? It is mostly, but your dog may panic during this time due to difficulty in breathing.
You can pat their back to calm them.
But in case of an allergic reaction, don’t be late consulting an expert.
My dog is sneezing a lot & shaking his/her head. What to do?
The primary reason behind a dog’s sneeze is pretty much similar to us and shaking head is their way to shrug off the irritants, fleas latched on their coat and other body parts which is more like self-cleaning.
Till now there is nothing to be worried about your pooch’s self-care regime.
But if you notice your dog sneezing a lot and shaking its head excessively then you need to observe your dog’s behavior and other health indications like loss of appetite, eye, and nasal discharge if any.
The possible reasons for this behavior in your dog indicate that it is struggling to get rid of irritants, ear mites, or allergies that are bothering them.
Take them right away to a vet as there is nothing much you can do to comfort your dog.
Remember, that mere ignorance of subtle signs can lead to incurable canine ailments.
My dog is sneezing a lot & licking his/her nose. Should I get worried?
Licking nose is a normal tendency in dogs to moisten their sniffer and escalate their sense of smell until it grabs your attention.
Some dogs also lick their nose out of anxiety when exposed to unfamiliar surroundings or meeting new people to pacify their stress level.
So there is nothing serious to consult a vet as this can be controlled with your gentle petting.
However, the situation will be different if your dog’s excessive licking is also accompanied by frequent sneezing.
According to the vet, foreign particles that are long latched in your dog’s nasal passage could be the reason behind such uncontrolled licking of the nose and sneezing.
This indicates your dog is trying hard to expel the irritants with pressure leading to nasal discharge or bleeding and they lick their nose more frequently to manage the flow.
Hence it is important to remove the irritants under expert supervision in relieving your dog from the stress.
My dog is sneezing a lot & snoring. What to do?
Looking for some sane facts as to why your dog sneezing a lot and snoring?
Snoring is again a common act that we share with our furry mate and the effect is equally unbearable.
Now talking about dogs snoring, some breeds are naturally prone to snore especially the ones with small snouts and in most cases are harmless.
But if your healthy pooch has suddenly started snoring loudly which is becoming persistent with unusual sneezing then it’s time you must consider a thorough health check-up without a second thought.
Loud snoring and sneezing indicate your dog is having breathing issues which can be due to flu, allergic reaction because of pollen or dust that are irritating its bronchial tube and causing them to make way for sufficient oxygen through snoring.
Allergens if not removed or treated in time can lead to respiratory infections and other complications.
So visit your vet to know the cause and solution for your dog’s sudden snoring.
Final Thoughts
Do not panic if your dog is sneezing a lot lately.
In most cases, sneezing has been reported as a harmless canine phenomenon that most dogs exhibit during flu time and because of seasonal allergies and your dog will stop sneezing once its nasal passage is clear.
The act is an instant reaction to foreign particles or exposure to certain chemical and environmental factors that trigger their nasal passage causing them to sneeze more frequently.
Besides these factors, there could be other underlying causes responsible for their uncontrollable sneezing.
You can detect that with a proper vet consultation if you find your dog exhibiting low energy levels along with frequent sneezing.
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