Reverse Sneezing Dogs

The Brachycephalic Boston Terrier, Reverse Sneezing

Boston Terriers are an adorable little breed loved by many. The experienced Boston Terrier owner is aware of the process called "inspiratory paroxysmal respiration" - or, in layman's terms, reverse sneezing. However, when a first time Boston Terrier owner first sees this process, they may panic. The process of the reverse sneeze is not a pleasant one to watch; it can easily look like the dog is in pain or suffering, but there is no actual harm being done.

If you are owning or purchasing a Boston Terrier for the first time and are curious about reverse sneezes, you have probably at least heard of the behavior, if not witnessed it in another dog. While it can be quite scary to witness, it really is a harmless process of the dog's body trying to rid itself of toxins or debris, much like a normal sneeze. Bouts of reverse sneezing typically last anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple minutes. The dog will stick out his head, extending his neck as much as possible, and breathe in and out rapidly and loudly. It sort of seems like the dog is hyperventilating, but that is not what's happening. Veterinarians have not determined what actually initiates a reverse sneeze, but it is assumed that the dog's body is trying to cleanse itself of some foreign matter.

Boston Terriers, like other small-muzzled breeds, are Brachycephalic. These means that they do not have a very long nose and tend to have a lengthier palate than other breeds. Some veterinarians believe being Brachycephalic is linked to inspiratory paroxysmal respiration, even though it does affect some dogs or breeds of dog who are not Brachycephalic. There is no surefire way to cure or end a bout of reverse sneezing, but trying to calm your dog down with a soft voice and stroking his or her throat can help curtail it sooner. Gently stroking your terrier's throat in a downward motion can help to initiate swallowing, which is likely to end the reverse sneezing process.

While the actual act of a reverse sneeze is harmless to the dog, if reverse sneezing is becoming unusually frequent, it can be an indication of other problems, such as a respiratory irritant or infection, tooth or gum infections, an irritated throat, or even allergies. If your Boston Terrier is have excessive bouts of reverse sneezing, there is a good chance he or she has developed allergies. Your veterinarian can prescribe anti-inflammatory or antihistamine medication that can counteract the allergy and will thus result in less reverse sneezing attacks. In some severe cases, in which the dog is having bouts of reverse sneezing several times daily, you should take him or her to the veterinarian immediately. Reverse sneezing of this frequency can indicate a far more serious problem, such as tumors in the breathing passages or respiratory system, or a collapsing trachea.

Excessive reverse sneezing, as with any strange behavior from your dog, can be indicative of a greater problem, but almost every Brachycephalic dog will undergo several reverse sneezing attacks in his or her lifetime and it is not anything to be too concerned over. The best defense in determining whether your Boston Terrier is suffering from a regular attack or if his or her body is trying to tell you something's wrong is to be very aware of what your dog is like healthy. Measure the frequency with which these reverse sneezing attacks happen and pay attention to any other possibly signs of illness, such as a change in appetite, activity level, or sleeping patterns.

This article was written by John Jackson and has been contributed by http://www.greatdogsite.com. For more information on the Boston Terrier, please visit our page http://www.greatdogsite.com/breeds/details/Boston_Terrier/.

Reverse Sneezing (dogs) ?
My Yorkie shes 6 months now just went to the vet Tuesday and they said shes a very healthy puppy and that we picked a good one BUT she said shes pre mature and shes pretty much only at a 5 month stage ......and well she has a reverse sneeze and I said to the vet its kinda scary though because it gives her anxiety attacks at the same time and like if we pet her she calms down but lately when we try to calm her she runs away while doing it and also her whole body will halt forward when shes doing this . I know everyone says its not big deal its probably just dust, and well only thing I can think of is we have a cat, can dogs be allergic to cat hair ? Its just concerns me a bit because shes is now doing this 5 to 10 times a day and I was thinking oh my god she does not have a collapsing trachea does she ? but the vet said nope her trachea is really good and so is she , but I just kinda think even though its probably just a reverse sneeze that 5 to 10 times a day is a bit much is there anything I can do for her like medication ?.....I mean other then this shes a really good healthy pup the vet said we picked a good one lol even tho shes a slow developer but apparently shes very healthy , I just wanna relieve her from the reverse sneeze if I can because it happens a lot and it freaks her out it just breaks my heart ! Yes shes had her rabies and everything shes all up to date on everything......only thing is she goes in 2 weeks to get spayed and she needs some teeth pulled What I also ment to say by that was all her shot are up to date

Get the answers...

Reverse Sneezing Dog?!?
My dog was throwing up a few weeks ago(about 2 weeks ago) and hiccuping, so we took him into the vet. They removed a foxtail from his throat, and gave him some barium, when he got home he started reverse sneezing, something he has never done before, they said this is normal because they searched his throat and it is probably raw. Now 2 weeks later we took him into the vet today and they said he has mites or allergies, so they gave him some prednisone. When he got home he started reverse sneezing the worst he's ever done and did it about 120 times over 10 minutes, I gave him the medicine and has only done it 4 times after that. Does he have allergies, or is something stuck in his throat? They don't want to search his throat because he has gone under general anesthesia a lot the past 2 months and it's bad for him, so they want him to take the meds for 15 days. Can he die from this? Please help! He is a 1 year old Labrador.

Get the answers...

Reverse sneezing? Dogs?
My yorkie has been reverse sneezing semi-frequently. It's been going on for about a year, and the episodes usually last about 1-3 minutes. Usually no more than 4 time a week. Anyway, what can you do to help your dog, aside from gently massaging her throat, or giving her a small drink of milk? Is reverse sneezing painful for them?

Get the answers...

Related Reverse-sneezing-dogs Videos

youtube.com

Dog Training & Care : Common Health Problems With Dogs

Common health problems with dogs include ringworm and other skin disorders. Find out how common health problems in dogs can be contagious with ...

Reverse Sneezing Dogs

The Brachycephalic Boston Terrier, Reverse Sneezing

Reverse Sneezing Dogs News

YouTube - doghealthproblems Channel: Dog Health Problems

Dog Health Problems & Home Treatments

Dog Health Problems (Dog Canine Training)

#1 Dog Food Recipe For Healthy Dogs (good for canine lymphoma too!)

Emergency Dog Health Care : How to Treat Dog Stomach Problems

Dog Health Problems

Dog Training & Care : Common Health Problems With Dogs

Dog health problems.mp4