Reverse Sneezing
This is a misnomer, for it has nothing to do with actual sneezing. However, it is a popular term for something that appears to be worse than it actually is. When this occurs, your dog will appear to be snorting or choking. The posture will be one of the neck extended with the chest expanded, as the dog struggles to take in air. The actual physiology is that the trachea has narrowed and the normal amount of air is not able to enter the lungs. The triggering mechanisms are usually excitement or stress. If this is happening to your dog, do not panic. You can help your dog by soothingly stroking the upper throat area to encourage relaxation and dilation of the trachea. If things do not resolve soon, and the dog is really having a continued hard time, you can try depressing the tongue to open up the oral cavity for the passage of much needed air into the lungs. The predisposition to this is thought to be hereditary, particularly in smaller breeds because of the decreased diameter of their tracheas. If your dog occasionally has this, do not worry that you need to be there to help each time it happens. A dog is able to come out of an attack of reverse sneezing without help and will not suffer permanent damage.
Reverse sneeze in pets
"My dog makes really loud noises and seems to have a hard time breathing. She is usually fine before and after her attacks. It seems as if she is in pain and choking. I never see anything that she is choking on. The sounds are very loud and she seems in pain or distress. What is going on and what can I do about it?"
This pet owner is describing what is called a reverse sneeze. Reverse sneeze syndrome is characterized by a series of loud, forced inhalations through the nostrils, lasting anywhere from 10 seconds to several minutes. This forces air in the opposite direction from a sneeze, which is forced exhalation of air through the nostrils.
They occur on a sporadic, unpredictable basis. They usually only occur in dogs and not other pets. Dogs usually stand still and have their head stretched or extended forward during an attack. Dogs appear perfectly normal before and after an attack. Their is no loss of consciousness or collapse. It is usually the loudness of the spells and the appearance of the dog that can be upsetting to their owners.
The exact cause of the syndrome is not known. One theory is that affected dogs are consciously removing mucus from the nasal passages. Dogs with allergies or sensitivities to odors may do this to clear their nose. Many dogs can be seen swallowing at the end of an attack. Another possible cause is a sinus or other respiratory disorder. Most of the time the condition is not serious.
If the condition appears suddenly in an older dog, or if the episodes become more frequent and severe the nasal passages should be examined. If the nose starts to bleed or develop a thick mucus discharge the nose should be examined. Treatment is not necessary when the episodes occur infrequently on a random basis. Home treatments that have been reported to be successful include massaging the throat, blowing into the nose, and rapidly and lightly compressing the chest. Usually these pets will not have an attack when brought to a veterinarian. If a tape recorder or video camera is available the attack can be recorded. The recording can be looked at or listened to by a veterinarian. They can then determine if any treatment is needed.
Honking, hacking, snorting sounds (reverse sneezing)
A day does not go by when someone doesn't ask about why their Maltese makes these sounds like they can't breathe. In most cases this is usually caused by what I call reverse sneezing. I've seen it happen primarily when excited. I have heard of others Maltese that will do this after drinking or eating, after running around, or while pulling on the leash.
It seems to me what is happening here is that the pharynx goes into spasms. Usually, by gently rubbing the throat of your Maltese, the spasms will stop after they swallow a couple of times and thats the end of it. On others, taking them outside for some fresh air will quickly cause the wheezing, snorting and honking to cease within less than a minute.
From the many Maltese people I speak to, I have found it to be extremely common in the Maltese breed and after speaking to several vets, have come to the conclusion that it is a harmless condition and medical attention is not necessary for reverse sneezing. It is very important though not to confuse reverse sneezing with a collasping trachea.
