Sneezing can be perfectly normal behavior for a pet. However, there are occasions when it’s a sign of something more serious. It’s important for pet owners to learn the difference so they know when their pet needs medical care and when it’s fine to let the sneezing pass.
Sick vs. Normal Behavior
Sneezing can be a part of normal pet communication, especially for dogs, who often use sneezing to communicate with each other and with humans. They sneeze when they’re excited, happy, or when they’re expressing submission. It’s important for pet owners to pay attention to when their pet is sneezing. If it’s always when they seem excited or happy, then it’s nothing to worry about and is more likely to be normal communication behaviors.
What Is Reverse Sneezing?
Definition Reverse sneezing is when a dog rapidly inhales air and is called reverse sneezing because a regular sneeze is rapidly expelling air. A reverse sneeze sounds like a snort, or like the dog is trying to inhale while simultaneously sneezing.
Common causes of reverse sneezing are often the irritation of the nose, sinuses, or the back of the throat from allergies, smoke, mites, odors, seeds, pollens, grasses, or secretions.
Reverse sneezing itself isn’t dangerous. However, if your dog does it a lot, you may want to visit your vet to find out if your dog has an allergy that needs to be treated.
What Can Cause a Pet to Sneeze?
Pets sneeze for a variety of reasons. They can sneeze because they’re excited. Dogs may sneeze when playing. They may also have allergies or experience irritation in the nose, just like humans. They may also be ill and need medical attention. If you see your pet sneezing persistently or see other symptoms along with the sneezing, take your pet to the vet. Antibiotics or other medication may be needed to treat their condition.
Excitement
Both dogs and cats may sneeze out of excitement. To get them to stop sneezing, you can try to calm them down.
Play
Dogs may sneeze while they play. They do this in order to show that they are playing and not seriously fighting.
Allergies
Pets can get allergies just like humans. If you see that your pet sneezes around the same plants or other items all the time, then you can ask your vet if there’s an allergy medication that you can give them.
Nasal Irritation
Also like humans, animals can sneeze if there is something irritating their nasal passages. It can be dust or something else airborne. It’s also possible for pets to sneeze because there is something lodged in their nose, so if your pet keeps sneezing, you may want to check their nose for any obstructions.
Infection
Pets can get nasal infections just like humans can. In addition to sneezing, you may also see such symptoms as loss of appetite and nasal discharge. A nasal infection in pets can be caused by an infected tooth or by a fungus or bacteria.
Mites
Small bugs called mites can get into the nasal passages of dogs and cause irritation. Frequent sneezing along with a bloody discharge are symptoms of nasal mites, which a dog can get from rubbing their nose in the dirt or from digging.
Tumor
Older dogs can develop tumors in their noses that can cause them to sneeze. Typically, a nasal tumor is also accompanied by bleeding on only one side of the nose.
Feline Herpes
Cats can catch the feline herpes virus from other cats that already have the virus. This virus can commonly cause sneezing in cats. Cat owners should also know that it’s not contagious for humans, only cats.
Feline Calcivirus
Feline calicivirus is a very contagious virus that can spread between cats. The most common symptom of the feline calicivirus is mouth ulcers, but the virus can also get into a cat’s respiratory system and cause sneezing or even pneumonia.
Dental Problems
In dogs, dental problems can sometimes cause sneezing. Damaged teeth, abscesses in the gums, and oral tumors can all result in sneezing, especially if the dental problem has been left untreated. Typically, sneezing isn’t the only symptom if a dog has dental problems. If you suspect dental problems, they may not be easily visible to a pet owner, so you should take your dog to the vet.
Foreign Object Inhalation
Sneezing can also be a sign of a pet having inhaled a foreign object. Sneezing is the pet’s body’s attempt to expel the object that they have inhaled. If you think a foreign object has become lodged in your pet’s airway, it’s important to take them to the emergency vet immediately. A foreign object obstructing the airway could prevent them from breathing and can be very dangerous.
When to Take a Sneezing Pet to the Vet
If your dog or cat is only sneezing occasionally, it’s unlikely to need a vet visit. However, some signs should alert you that sneezing is a major concern and requires immediate medical attention.
Signs You Should Be Concerned About a Pet’s Sneezing
In general, pet sneezing is something to be concerned about if the sneezing is persistent and frequent. It’s also of concern if it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
- Blood
- Coughing
- Wheezing
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention for Pet Sneezing
How a dog’s sneezing is treated depends entirely on what is causing it. There are many different causes of pet sneezing, so pet owners should not attempt to treat any sneezing without first diagnosing the cause of the sneezing.
Diagnosing Pet Sneezing
Pet owners should pay attention to when their pet is sneezing to determine first if it’s normal behavior or if it’s something else. They should also look for other symptoms that accompany sneezing. Pet owners should also look for how their pet is sneezing. If it’s different from their normal sneezing, such as being more violent or more frequent. This information can be provided to the vet and will help the vet to determine what the cause of the sneezing is.
Treating Pet Sneezing
Depending on what is causing the sneezing, your vet may prescribe medication. If your pet has an upper respiratory infection that is causing sneezing, then antibiotics may help. If your pet has allergies, then the vet may prescribe an antihistamine. If your pet is taking other medication, it’s important to make sure the vet knows about it so that they prescribe medication that won’t interfere with what your pet is already taking.
Preventing Pet Sneezing
Pet owners should keep their pet’s vaccinations up to date. If your pet is allergic to something, then you should make sure to limit their exposure to that. If it’s indoors, then keeping the pet’s area clean of potential irritants, such as aerosols or plants with pollen, could help to reduce sneezing. Pet owners should also make sure to keep small objects that could be inhaled away from pets, especially dogs since they like to sniff.
