So why the heck does my dog convulse and reverse sneeze all the time?!?
Hey guys! Welcome back to my veterinary channel! I’m Dr. Lindsay, a small animal veterinarian.

So, let’s discuss reverse sneezing in dogs and what to do if your dog is reverse sneezing! First off, reverse sneezing does have a fancy medical name, and this is “paroxysmal respiration.” Paroxysmal means a fit or attack, or a sudden recurrence of symptoms. And, of course, respiration as we all know is the act of breathing.

So, a reverse sneeze is basically a fit of sneezing but in a reverse way!

With a reverse sneeze, the dog rapidly pulls air into the nose, whereas with a regular sneeze, the air is rapidly pushed out through the nose.

During a reverse sneeze, the dog will make a vigorous snorting sound and may seem to be gasping for air. The dog will extend his head and neck, his body will seem to freeze in a firm stance, and he will rapidly inhale. It really does look like the dog is convulsing and something horrible is happening.

A pet owner’s first reaction may be to say, “Oh my gosh! Are you okay?” and run their pet to hold or hug the dog until the episode is over. Some pet owners get so concerned that they rush their dog to the vet crying because they think the dog is suffocating! And I’m serious about this and I don’t blame them one bit if it’s their first time witnessing it because it’s scary to see!

But don’t freak out! Reverse sneezing should only last up to 1 minute, and your dog will be completely fine when it is over. It has no harmful effects on the dog!

Ok, so what causes reverse sneezing?

The truth is, we don’t know entirely why dogs do it! And all dogs can have a reverse sneeze attack. There is not one breed that experiences it more than another. Breeds with short snouts, such as bulldogs, pugs, boxers, and Bostons may convulse more during a reverse sneezing since it’s harder for them to move air, which adds to the stress of these owners, but even these dogs will be completely fine before, during, and after an episode.

It is thought that a reverse sneeze may be triggered when a dog inhales an irritant, such as dirt or pollen when your pup is sniffing in the grass, or dust bunnies inside the house when you forget to vacuum under the bed! Sometimes a reverse sneeze can be triggered when a dog goes from a warm house out into extremely cold winter air. Sometimes it can be triggered for no reason that can be identified.

So how is reverse sneezing diagnosed? And how do we know it’s not something more serious?

While most reverse sneezing is completely harmless, in some cases it can be a symptom of a more serious condition such as an upper respiratory infection, collapsing trachea, nasal tumors or polyps, or foreign bodies in the nasal passage or mouth.

If your dog reverse sneezes for the first time and you’re worried, definitely bring them to your veterinarian to have them assessed. Your veterinarian will do a physical exam of your dog’s nasal passage, mouth and throat. If your dog is perfectly healthy on physical exam, then your vet is safe to say your dog simply had a reverse sneeze episode.

Most cases of reverse sneezing require no medical treatment, however, if your dog is experiencing them frequently, your vet may prescribe antihistamines or allergy medication, or even antibiotics if they are worried it is due to a respiratory infection.

What do you do when your dog is reverse sneezing?

Try to remain calm, since excitement and stress can prolong the episode. Gently pet your dog to help soothe him, telling him “it’s okay,” and simply wait out the episode. A very gentle throat massage may also help to calm your dog and end the episode sooner.

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