Reverse Sneezing

[TheRiverClyde]

Hi everyone

 

I have recently made a discovery that I wanted to share, and also ask if anyone else has experienced this with their grey.

 

Reverse sneezing is apparently fairly common and can be due to allergies, but there also may be other reasons.

 

Here's a video of what it sounds and looks like

 

The first time my Luna done this it is safe to say I sh** myself! I thought she was having a fit or something. She has done it 3 times in the past 6 months. It's not regular or frequent. In fact it's very infrequent and has happened all different times of the day, first time in a garden when I happened to be pulling a peice of grass from her butt 😒 (I literally thought I'd freaked her out by doing this and she had a wee panic attack!), once when she was just chilling on the couch, and the last time was in the middle of the night around 3am.

 

Luna's version was more rapid than this and there was no pauses in between like seen in the video. And it lasted for about 20 seconds. It sounds very scary and makes me panic as she looks like she can't breathe but I now know it's nothing too serious.

 

Has anyone else experienced this and if so do you know the cause. If it's allergies what to do you to remedy them? Was there any other causes?

 

When I went to the vet about it, I didn't know it was reverse sneezing and we both thought it was a throat issue. Her throat was checked by hand and showed no issues.

 

Thanks in advance.

[greysmom]

It is pretty common, and, as far as I know, no one has ever figured out what causes it or why it happens. Our of the nine greyhounds and 3 great danes we have had, four (3 greys and 1 great) have done it to varying degrees. It *really* upsets my husband when it happens, but the dogs seem to take it all in stride without much trouble.

 

I've tried lots of different things over the years - Rescue Remedy drops, rubbing their throats gently, giving them a treat that requires chewing, water misting. The thing that seems to work the best is a sharp puff of air right up their nose - it startles them and seems to break the cycle.

 

It has always seemed to me that reverse sneezing is the dog equivalent of hiccups.

[TheRiverClyde]

The thing that seems to work the best is a sharp puff of air right up their nose - it startles them and seems to break the cycle.

 

It has always seemed to me that reverse sneezing is the dog equivalent of hiccups.

 

Wow, that does sound common. I cant believe I'd never heard of it before. I wish I knew what is was before the first time I saw Luna do it. It still worries me seeing her do it.

 

A dog hiccup sounds like a good explanation.

 

What do you use to puff air up their nose? I'll give that a try next time she does it.

[Guest RockChalk]

Not that I have a professional opinion (or a greyhound opinion for that matter) but my sister's rat terrier does this pretty frequently. When we asked the vet if there was anything we could do to help him, she basically just shook her head and said they work themselves out of it. Max (the terrier) doesn't seem to respond to anything we've tried with him, but he does eat up the extra attention it brings him!

[greysmom]

Wow, that does sound common. I cant believe I'd never heard of it before. I wish I knew what is was before the first time I saw Luna do it. It still worries me seeing her do it.

A dog hiccup sounds like a good explanation.

What do you use to puff air up their nose? I'll give that a try next time she does it.

I just blow! Like blowing bubbles!

[TheRiverClyde]

Easy as blowing in the nose. Great, I will try that then. Thanks greysmom.

 

This makes me feel much better to know it's common and doesn't seem to be of huge concern. Thank goodness for the Internet!

[3greytjoys]

One of our Greyhounds suffered terribly with reverse sneezing for many months after adoption. After seeing multiple vets and (misdiagnosed) allergy treatments didn't work, I was finally able to diagnose her with nasal mites. The treatment (see link) worked perfectly. Ten years later and still no recurrence. http://www.merckvetm...ine-nasal-mites

(Nasal mites were not common in our region, so local vets didn't consider that possibility. Nasal mites are common in the state/s in which she raced.)

 

Another possibility for reverse sneezing: GT member “Sambuca” posted 01 December 2013: Quote: “I brought a foster dog in for his annual at one point and mentioned that he'd been sneezing and reverse sneezing a bunch the last few weeks. The vet wasn't concerned until the fecal came back positive for nasal worms. They get nasal worms by sniffing poop infested with the eggs. They inhale the eggs and the worms live in the nasal area. Then the eggs get pooped out. A normal fecal tests for it. They are not normally able to sneeze out the worms or eggs.“ End quote.

 

A third potential cause (in U.S.): Foxtail grass awns can enter and disturb the nasal passage, cause infection, and continue traveling more deeply into the body. https://www.petcarer...s-dont-mix/1236

 

If you are with your hound 24/7 and you've only heard 3 reverse sneezes in 6 months, it could just be a tiny seed, dust, etc. irritating her nasal passage. If it continues, please do seek an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Good luck.

[Neighsayer]

Specky does it a couple times a month. I've never seen it in my other four. I use the blow in nose trick to stop it, since it works with her. I had another dog that stopped when I lifted her head and rubbed her throat. Another would stop when I gave a sharp yell and clap, because it startled him. Some dogs just need to stop on their own. I've never had a dog do it with a long pause between like in that video. Glad you figured out what it was, because it can look scary.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Ruby is our sneezer but the episodes don't last very long. Our PointerX did it too.

I've always just left them alone, but may try the blowing up the nose trick next time.

[TheRiverClyde]

One of our Greyhounds suffered terribly with reverse sneezing for many months after adoption. After seeing multiple vets and (misdiagnosed) allergy treatments didn't work, I was finally able to diagnose her with nasal mites. The treatment (see link) worked perfectly. Ten years later and still no recurrence. http://www.merckvetm...ine-nasal-mites

(Nasal mites were not common in our region, so local vets didn't consider that possibility. Nasal mites are common in the state/s in which she raced.)

 

Another possibility for reverse sneezing: GT member “Sambuca” posted 01 December 2013: Quote: “I brought a foster dog in for his annual at one point and mentioned that he'd been sneezing and reverse sneezing a bunch the last few weeks. The vet wasn't concerned until the fecal came back positive for nasal worms. They get nasal worms by sniffing poop infested with the eggs. They inhale the eggs and the worms live in the nasal area. Then the eggs get pooped out. A normal fecal tests for it. They are not normally able to sneeze out the worms or eggs.“ End quote.

 

A third potential cause (in U.S.): Foxtail grass awns can enter and disturb the nasal passage, cause infection, and continue traveling more deeply into the body. https://www.petcarer...s-dont-mix/1236

 

If you are with your hound 24/7 and you've only heard 3 reverse sneezes in 6 months, it could just be a tiny seed, dust, etc. irritating her nasal passage. If it continues, please do seek an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Good luck.

 

Thank you 3greytjoys, I'm going to make an appointment with the vet to rule out mites or foxtails. Those both sound like horrible things to put up with and I wouldn't like her having to suffer from it.

 

I had no idea it could be stopped/interrupted so next time I see her do it I'll give it a try.