Reverse sneezes

Please anyone tell me about reverse sneezes. First are those sneezes ever dangerous for the pug? Are the sneezes caused by any one thing? Or is there a variety of reasons? Are reverse sneezes more common in senior pugs? Does the frequency of the sneezes mean anything?

My old guy, Ty seems to have a reverse sneeze at least every other day. Summer AND winter. Is there anything I can do for him as he is having them? I just feel so sorry for him.

Elaine

I know it can be worrisome, Elaine. I'm sure others know more than I do about causes and norms in terms of frequency. Years ago, I remember someone telling me to gently pry their mouth open to force them to take a breath. It used to work well with Hoover and is hit or miss with Lucy. Nell very very rarely does it so no experience with her really. I typically let Lucy work through it herself. I'd be curious to hear from others on this as well.

I always blow air in their nose. Or, plug their nostril with my hands. It forces them to take a breath through their mouth. This works like a charm with my Ichiro, but doesn't do a damn thing for Tobey, so I have to let her work through them on her own. Usually I try to make sure they are calm and reassure them they are okay.

This happened to Juneau a couple of weeks after I got him! I think I told this story once before on PA, but it goes down in history as the most wacky thing my kids have ever seen me do.

We were doing yard work and Juneau was running around playing. Suddenly I noticed that his breathing was WEIRD and it looked like he his lungs had deflated! I started yelling at my son that he did something (he didn't) but I was instantly irrational. I scooped him up and ran to the car. I drove to the vet hospital and ran inside. The vet took him in immediately and said "ohhhh...its a reversing sneeze" which I had never heard of (mind you, I was a new dog owner for the first time in my life) and she rubbed her palm in a circle over his nose. He started sneezing and sneezing and sneezing! In fact, he had snot flying everywhere....and it was worth the $60 I had to pay in an emergency visit, just so I didn't have to clean it up! I have never seen that much snot come out of him since!

He has never done it since, but the vet told me that is all I have to do - rub his nose with the palm of my hand, in circles.

My kids still laugh at my panic that day...and that I paid $60 to have his nose rubbed. I believe that is the day I realized that I am totally and completely dazzled by my pug.

That's funny Tarrington! When we got our first pug, I was honestly pretty clueless about pugs. The first time he did it, I took him to the vet too. Turns out the vet was just as clueless as we were because he gave us an antibiotic for it! We never saw that vet again.

I'll need to try that circle/hand thing next time Matilda starts. I usually plug her nose or if I have something handy give her a little bite to eat.

Amanda wrote:That's funny Tarrington! When we got our first pug, I was honestly pretty clueless about pugs. The first time he did it, I took him to the vet too. Turns out the vet was just as clueless as we were because he gave us an antibiotic for it! We never saw that vet again.

I ran Lola to the ER Vet the first time she did it--poms are also notorious reverse sneezers. The ER Vet was very kind to me--much like the ER Doctor was when I ran Tucker in for diaper rash..........

Add us to the list of people who called the vet when it first happened. In our case, it was 11pm at night and we called the emergency vet. I held the phone up to him so they could listen to it. They said to just try and calm him down.

Chester and Leo are notorious reverse sneezers. I will blow in the nose or gently stick my finger in their mouth to get them to yawn or open wide (just be careful if you try that!). And then I stroke them and try to get them to calm down.

I'll try the circle thing (hopefully in the kitchen on the tile floor!) next time. I do what some of the others have mentioned--cover the nose (to make him open his mouth), open his mouth myself, stroke his neck and basically try to calm him.

Thanks for all the info. I am going to try rubbing his nose with my palm.......if Ty will let me. I have tried to put my finger in his mouth to make him open it but so far that has only worked on limited occasions.

At least I know I am not the only one who has a pug prone to those scary sneezes.

Elaine

I was told to gently massage between the outer toe and the "ring" toe on the left rear foot while it's happening... reflexology?? Or getting my leg pulled? If I am near the beast, I do it... if I am not I don't... I don't think it makes much of a difference!

I do try to show them that I will keep their food safe for them (from the others) if it happens during a meal.. I want them to let it pass before they insist on inhaling more kibble!!

Ty's reverse sneezes almost always come when we are walking. Seldom does he get them while he is eating. At times he will be sleeping and wake up and into a reverse sneeze. Probably not unusual since he is napping nearly all the time. lol

When I first got Dyna after a few months she started reverse sneezing as well. I took video on my cell phone of her sneezing. Saira told me it was nothing to worry about but I still rushed to the vet. $30 later it is indeed reverse sneezing and nothing to worry about!

jojopugs wrote:When I first got Dyna after a few months she started reverse sneezing as well. I took video on my cell phone of her sneezing. Saira told me it was nothing to worry about but I still rushed to the vet. $30 later it is indeed reverse sneezing and nothing to worry about!

And the lesson learned was, I'm always right! Hooli doesn't reverse sneeze much but Indy does. Luckily I had learned about it before Indy came along, even now though he sometimes gets a really bad reverse sneeze that makes me worry-but I think he just starts panicking, poor guy.

Clara does reverse sneezing also. This makes me think it's something common with the brachi breed type of dogs? Hers usually happen when she has been doing somersaults and sometimes when she's been eating. The reverse sneezing when she's eating has always scared me because I worry about her choking on kibble.

Trish