How do you stop an episode of reverse sneezing?

Our question this week was:

How do I get my dog to stop an episode of reverse sneezing?

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Patty O.

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. A reverse sneeze is something particular to dogs. In a regular sneeze, your dog pushes air out through the nose; however, in a reverse sneeze, air is pulled rapidly in through the nose producing a noisy inspiratory effort.

I have an article about it on our site – go to Reverse Sneezing in Dogs. The article says it well – but this is what it looks like:

To Stop a Reverse Sneezing Episode – you can try the following:

• Stimulate your dog to swallow by either massaging the throat or briefly pinching off the nasal openings.
• Sometimes opening the dog's mouth and gently pulling on the dogs tongue can help stop an episode
• Give your dog something to eat and drink can also stop the reverse sneezing episode.

Some dogs have reverse sneezing episodes so frequently that various medications may be needed to reduce their frequency.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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