Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

This happens often with my two zu's.My vet said that it's common and it's likely pollen or dust that went up their nostrils.
She suggests rubbing their throat when this happens and if it occurs a few episodes in a day to give the dog a human benydrl 1/2 tablet.

It's pretty scary when it's happening. Poor babies look like they can't breathe and gasping for air.

Does this happen to your dogs? What do you do to help calm them down? Have you tried the benedryl?

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

what is this and what does it sound like?
is this what my parent's call "honking" their old pomeranian used to do this thing that sounded like a goose honk.

very curious b/c my pup was getting over pneumonia but started with his cough again. he brings stuff up sometimes and sound like he is choking. i am wondering if he has an allergy...

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

Message edited 7/20/2010 9:28:26 AM.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

Yes this happens to my dog all the time. It scares me and I feel so bad for him. I rub his throat when it happens and sometimes I will cover his nose to force him to breathe out of his mouth (that always helps him). I never tried the benadryl

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

This has happened to all 3 of my dogs (all different breeds - small and large). Our vet said it's common and nothing to be concerned about. It always just passes on its own.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

yes it happens to my pug. he used to get it a lot, but for other health reasons we have to give him benadryl now (to keep him calm) and it has gone completly gone away. rubbing his throat never worked for me

we buy the childrens benadryl and its 1mg per pound, so the pills I get are 25mg. technically my pug could have 1 pill since hes 23lbs, but we give him half, and its enough for him, and it doesn't make him too tired.

we used to give him the baby benadryl, the liquid kind, but one day he decided he wouldn't lick it out of the cup anymore, so we had to go to the pills.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

I'm trying to get Ginger's noises on film to send to my vet, it doesn't happen all the time. But it sounds like forceful wheezing, like she's pushing air out, and then this sound that everyone laughs at... It's hard to explain but it sounds like a burp "brrrrraaaaaap!".

Anyway, the vet listened to my descriptions, checked out her heart, lungs, nostrils, throat and everything is fine. He said it's probably seasonal allergies and also said Benadryl or Claritin. We haven't gone that route yet because it hasn't been that bad.

Sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat. Poor babies.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

One of my dogs does this, and we were really worried - we thought maybe she had doggie asthma or something and was having trouble breathing, but of course she'd never do it in front of the vet. When we finally found out what it was we were so relieved!

We haven't tried Benadryl for it because it tends to happen out of the blue, not on a consistent basis, but if she starts up and I'm there I usually just pet her gently until it passes. The whole episode seems to bother me more than it does her.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

This happens to my Chihuahua. It is normal, but it definately is scary to listen to, it sounds like he is gasping for air

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

oh yes! it freaked me out the first time it happened! I thought he was having an asthma attack or something!!

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

yes this happens to ollie. It's scary but it comforts me that I never heard of a dog die because they couldn't breathe when they were reverse sneezing. I know it sounds crazy but that's really what i think of when it's happening. I don't do anything when it happens, I just pet her to comfort her and it eventually stops. She does have allergies so I give her benadryl on occasion. How big is your dog? My vet said to give her a whole benadryl tablet.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

It happens w/ Rudy now & again...The vet told me to distract him w/ a small treat or a couple of Cheerios. If the dogs see us freaking out when they do it it will just make them do it more...That's the vet talking, but it does seem to work.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

My puggles do the reverse sneeze. Here's a video on how to calm them down: Reverse Sneeze

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

My pug does this and i freak out. It scares the crap out of me especially in the middle of the night.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

I have a Boston Terrier and it happens to him all the time.

I just let him ride it out. If it lasts longer than usual, I will rub his chest and back to help sooth him.

As soon as it's over, he's fine and playing like the crazy man he is.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

same here, so scared when it first happened. we rushed him to the emergency vet and they told us what it was.

now it happens sometimes when he gets overly excited or very occassionally at night. i just run to his side, gently pet his throat and talk to him in a calming voice.

i hate seeing him like that

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

My girl does it too. It still scares me every time she has an episode.
Rubbing the throat helps.
But I found once i got rid of her allegries the episodes did not happen as often . Now it is very rare...
Only if she is having an itchy spell.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

OMG, my dog does this all the time and I always thought she had something stuck in her throat - as she INHALES her food

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

I have never tried Benadryl. I usually just let him work it out himself or I rub his throat

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

My jack russell has done that his whole life but I notice that he does it most often when he gets too hot under the covers or when he gets too whiney when begging for food. I make him look up and rub his throat and it goes away on its own.

Re: Question for those whose dog "Reverse Sneeze"

I have a Westie and they're prone to allergies. Shea does do this, but it's not often. The vet said he would do this because of allergies so I do my best to keep the house clean (I have severe dust mite allergies) for myself and I guess it helps him too. I usually just leave him alone when he does a reverse sneeze because I know it will pass.