My Dog Sneezes a Lot — What's Happening?

A dog sneezing is a sign that something is irritating its nasal cavity. A few occasional sneezes aren't concerning and don't necessarily indicate a problem, but if they don't stop, we do need to contact the vet.

This is especially important if the sneezing is very violent, there's a nosebleed, or other symptoms such as nasal discharge. The most common causes of sneezing fits are canine atopy, the presence of foreign bodies, and rhinitis. Let's take a detailed look at when we should be concerned.

When Is a Sneeze Concerning?

If the sneeze catches our attention for how violent it is, the dog can't stop sneezing, or we also notice nasal discharge, we need to see a vet clinic. In addition, sneezing that doesn't stop causes inflammation and congests the nasal area. This eventually causes noisy breathing and mucus the dog will swallow.

What Causes Sneezing?

There are several causes that cause nasal irritation and, as a result, trigger sneezing. Canine atopy stands out, which is an allergic condition that occurs frequently in dogs.

But perhaps sneezing episodes occur more often due to a foreign body getting inside the nose. Another cause is rhinitis.

Canine Atopy or Atopic Dermatitis

Canine atopy is a very common allergy in dogs. It appears between 1-3 years of age. It's more common in certain breeds such as the Golden Retriever, Labrador, West Highland White Terrier, Dalmatian, Poodle, English and Irish Setter, Boxer, or Bulldog. The dog reacts to pollen present in the environment, at first only during certain months of the year.

But the dog gradually becomes allergic to more pollens, so the picture ends up appearing year-round. Later, the allergy also develops from exposure to dust, mold, feathers, wool, etc. Besides sneezing, in these cases we'll observe watery-looking nasal and eye discharge.

This is allergic rhinitis. Affected dogs rub their face with their paws or against any object. There's itching, which causes scratching and licking. As the condition progresses, the skin appears damaged, hair falls out, and secondary bacterial infections occur. The skin thickens and darkens. Seborrhea and otitis can appear.

Foreign Bodies

The presence of a foreign body is usually marked by a sudden sneezing fit that stands out for how violent it is. The dog shakes its head and rubs it with its paws or against objects. The force of these sneezes can trigger nosebleeds. Normally, it only occurs in the nostril where the foreign body is located.

These nosebleeds resolve on their own, but when sneezing continues, the bleeding gets prolonged and worse. In this case, we need to see the vet, since trying to stop the bleeding won't do any good while the sneezing continues. Many different foreign objects can lodge in a dog's nose.

If the object doesn't come out on its own and we don't see the vet to have it removed, the sneezing will space out, and with the foreign body embedded, since it tends to get pushed deeper into the nasal cavity, an infection eventually develops. In these cases, thick discharge occurs, with or without blood, in the affected nostril.

Rhinitis

Rhinitis is infection of the nasal cavity. It causes sneezing, thick, foul-smelling nasal discharge, and nausea from the mucus that ends up in the throat. It can occur from a foreign body or a blow to the nose.

But there are also viral causes that sometimes become complicated by secondary bacterial infections. Especially in puppies, this picture can be due to distemper. On the contrary, in older dogs, rhinitis is more likely due to a tumor or dental infection.

What to Do If My Dog Sneezes a Lot?

If we spot the foreign body lodged in the nose, we can use tweezers to try to remove it ourselves. For this, the dog needs to be calm, and we'll likely need another person's help to hold it. If it's restless, we can't clearly see the object, or we're not sure we can do it, we'll see the clinic.

Otherwise, we'll hurt the dog or push the object in deeper. Given how sensitive the nasal cavity is, the dog needs to be sedated to remove the foreign body. After the procedure, the vet will prescribe antibiotics to control secondary bacterial infections. For transport, if there's bleeding, we can put ice wrapped in a cloth on the nose.

The solution for canine atopy is complex. It involves preventing the dog's contact with every allergen. Nowadays, immunotherapy is used, based on injections aimed at reducing the reaction. Drugs are prescribed to control symptoms. If the sneezing is due to rhinitis, antibiotics or antifungals are used, depending on the pathogen.

Bibliography Carlson and Giffin. 2002. Manual práctico de veterinaria canina. Madrid. Editorial el Drac.