Skip to content

Reverse sneeze/snort?

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • My B-boy, Ziggy, has what a breeder has called a "reverse sneeze." It's a loud, abrupt inhalation through his nose - much like what a person with a bad headcold would do when dealing with nasal congestion. He'll do it 8-10 times in a row, and it's usually happened in the mornings. It's so severe that it wracks his poor little body. I've been advised to give him 1/2 tablet of Benedryl and just wait it out (until summer and allergy season passes). Does anyone else have this problem with their dog? Please advise! Thanks, Lori in Los Angeles

  • Hi, Lori in Los Angeles. My german shepherd mix had allergic bronchitis and would get the reverse sneezes. She would also get bad coughs from the allergies. If it wasn't too bad, I would use benedryl. When it got really bad, sometimes her vet would put her on a short course of prednisone. I had a tracheal biopsy done on her early on because the vets originally thought it was kennel cough. You may want to have him checked about by the vet to make sure it's nothing serious and to do some allergy testing. Also, when the reverse sneeze starts, you can try a distraction with Ziggy, get him to walk or move or do something–this would interrupt mine's sneezing fits.

  • Yes, my Senji gets those too. It seems like it's some sort of asthma attack. For him, it seems like it's worse in the spring with the pollen.

  • @ZenGrrrl:

    My B-boy, Ziggy, has what a breeder has called a "reverse sneeze." It's a loud, abrupt inhalation through his nose - much like what a person with a bad headcold would do when dealing with nasal congestion. He'll do it 8-10 times in a row, and it's usually happened in the mornings. It's so severe that it wracks his poor little body. I've been advised to give him 1/2 tablet of Benedryl and just wait it out (until summer and allergy season passes). Does anyone else have this problem with their dog? Please advise! Thanks, Lori in Los Angeles

    It is very common…. I don't do anything... never really found that benedryl really made any difference

  • Our Papillion has the "reverse sneeze" and we have yet to find a specific trigger. Our prior vet advised us to try and get him to breath thru his mouth (as opposed to his nose) to help. But really, you just have to wait it out. The longest we've seen it carry on is maybe 20-30 seconds. Then he "forward" sneezes, wipes his nose, and go grabs his tennis ball to play.

    Good luck!

  • My parents had Cav. King Charles spanials and this is very common for these dogs.
    So, the vet said, when the sneeze start, hold your thumbs over the dogs nose.
    That makes him breath out of his mouth and stops the sneeze…
    It did work for the Cavs..
    Doesn't take very long, just hold the dog, and make it breath out of his mouth for a bit...

  • It could also be something called "nose mites" in swedish it´s something they can get at indoor dogshows or otherkinda close contact to dog´s affected with it.This reverse sneezing is one of the most typical symtoms.
    They treat it here with either a med called stronghold or interceptor pills.
    Might be an idea to ask your vet to test the dog .
    If a dog has this he shouldn´t meet other dog´s as it´s very contagious.I read on a swedish dogforum about this and it also said that you could vaccinate them with Ivomec S.

Suggested Topics

  • Sneezing

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    3k Views
    Shaye's MomS
    It's very possible something has started growing that she has a slight allergy to. My Gemma sneezes when we first go into the fields in the morning lately because everything is coming up and it's dewy as well. She also did this during pollen season, but seldom any other time. Of course our A/C is always on because the days are so hot now, and that may be the answer for you. If she had something up her nose, I think she would be "blowing" trying to get it out, but a vet visit would answer that for you.
  • Need help/advice…

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    2k Views
    QuercusQ
    @Marie: One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet and which is recommended when treating giardia is to bathe the dog. This is because the giardia cysts can adhere to the hair around the hind end of the dog who then can re-infect himself by grooming. More of a factor in a long haired dog, obviously, but if it were me I'd be giving Oakley a few baths just to be on the safe side. (I'm sure he'll thank me for this suggestion! :eek:) Oooooo, I didn't know that! That is a great bit of info!
  • Skin/Coat Issues

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    3
    0 Votes
    3 Posts
    2k Views
    N
    At the beginning there were a couple of little spots, this was about three weeks ago, I thought that they could have been the result of playing at the dog park so I just put a little bit of aloe vera on them, but then they started to show on different spots and not only on the black but on the white coat as well. I do not see him scratching himself on those spots but what I notice is that is getting dandruff, it is like his coat is going through something and all that comes to my mind is the food, I do not know.
  • 0 Votes
    1 Posts
    778 Views
    No one has replied
  • Sneezing

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    2
    0 Votes
    2 Posts
    1k Views
    dashD
    @Andrew: Booger has been sneezing a lot recently. It started around the same time we got our new dryer, and at first we thought he might be allergic to the fabric softener we're using. However, I'm not so sure now. He sneezes in small fits throughout the day & night & at seemingly random times (in the middle of the night, at the dog park, in the car, watching tv, whatever). Right now the weather is kind of up & down temperature wise & leaves are falling, etc. Could it just be seasonal allergies? It doesn't seem to bother him a lot, and he doesn't have any other symptoms, so I see no need to take him to the doctor. But if there's something I could give him to relieve the sneezing without making him groggy or without needlessly medicating him, I would like to try it. Any experience will fall time allergies? it's funny you mention that. We have noticed it with all of ours. Maybe it is allergies.
  • Sneezing…

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    5k Views
    MantisM
    yes, Caesar has been sneezing a lot as well. I suspect there is stuff a bloomin' Love the video…