Reverse Sneezing

We frequently hear from clients, “It’s an emergency! My pet is breathing really fast and won’t stop making snorting noises!”

Don’t fret. More often than not, your pet is reverse sneezing, defined by a brief period of rapid breathing and snorting noises.

Formally known as paroxysmal respiration, reverse sneezing is a common occurrence in our canine companions and can appear quite alarming when you hear it for the first time. But don’t worry! Reverse sneezing is typically completely harmless to your pet.

Reverse sneezing occurs due to irritation of the soft palate at the back of your pet’s throat, which causes the throat to spasm and the animal to subsequently expand their chest and breathe in rapidly. A number of things can trigger this, including eating and drinking, excitement, exercise, or allergens/irritants in their environment. Reverse sneezing is more common in dogs than cats, and smaller dogs than larger dogs, likely because smaller dogs have smaller airways that are more susceptible to irritation. 

Reverse sneezing rarely requires treatment, just like the occasional regular sneeze from your dog is no cause for concern. Once your dog has been able to clear their throat and airway, the spasming should stop and they will return to a normal breathing pattern. In the event your dog regularly reverse sneezes, sneezes, coughs, or has colored nasal discharge, it is a good idea to have them evaluated by their veterinarian. 

If you’ve never seen your dog reverse sneeze, or you’re not sure what a reverse sneeze looks like, here are a couple of YouTube videos that show a good example of what this condition can look like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG5k9XVlh3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3L4v0W2_Sw

Written by Ali Getz , Former CAC Employee (2017-2019), VA Tech College of Veterinary Medicine Candidate (Class of 2023)