Dog Sneezing

Sneezing in dogs can be caused by a variety of conditions.
In this video segment, Dr Sam Meisler, a small animal
veterinarian, discusses the causes of sneezing in dogs
and how to diagnose and treat them.

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Sneezing in Dogs

Dogs can sneeze for variety of reasons. Allergies,
environmental irritants, anatomical abnormalities, upper
respiratory diseases, or cancer can all be the culprit. dogs to
have hay fever-type symptoms due to pollens.
Environmental irritants such as dust or a foreign body in the
nasal passage will cause sneezing in an effort to dislodge it.
accompanied by nasal discharge can cause the animal to
sneeze.

Some dogs have an anatomical condition of the back of the
pharynx that can cause a reverse sneeze. The dog will act as
if it has something caught in its nose, will try to shake it
out, and then sneeze a few times, but end up just fine. If
your dog has been displaying this behavior since birth then
this is usually the case.

More commonly, an upper respiratory disease is the cause.
Examination is important to rule out serious or harder to
treat conditions such as a fungal infection in the nose or to
flush out the dog’s nasal passages under anesthesia to
remove the foreign matter. The veterinarian will examine the
dog, note any nasal discharge or presence of a virus or
bacteria, and determine treatment. The presence of bacteria
can be treated with antibiotics while most viruses are treated
by the dog’s own immune system.

If your dog is sneezing, a trip to the veterinarian is well
worth it to rule out serious diseases.

- Sam Meisler DVM

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been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to
diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.