Why Is My Boston Terrier Snorting So Much Lately?
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Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats, 5 dogs, and garden!
The Question
Peanut has been having these strange episodes where she suddenly stops, extends her neck, and makes loud snorting/honking sounds like she can't breathe for about 30 seconds. It's been happening 2-3 times a day since I started using a new lavender-scented plug-in air freshener in the living room last week. Is this dangerous, and could the air freshener be triggering it?
Quick Info about Peanut
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Hi Adrian, What you’re describing is almost certainly something we call a “reverse sneeze”. A regular sneeze usually occurs in response to something irritating the nasal passages, where air is violently expelled in an attempt to expel whatever caused the irritation. A reverse sneeze is the body’s response to the irritation on the internal side of the sinuses, where a normal sneeze would not be effective in dislodging the problem. This can be in response to a physical contaminant or allergies, but in dogs, it is often linked to their anatomy around the oropharynx, which is where the mouth meets the trachea (wind pipe). In brachycephalic breeds like Pugs, French Bulldogs, or Boston Terriers, the soft tissues of their mouth and sinuses are out of proportion. The soft palate is a little too long for their short muzzle, their tongue that’s a bit too large, and the trachea is slightly too narrow. That’s also why these dogs tend to pant noisily, and snore loudly. Of course, anything that causes irritation to the sinuses, like essential oils, aerosols, pollens, and dust, can also trigger reverse sneezing, and the more irritated and inflamed the lining of the nose and pharynx become, the worse the problem gets. In most cases, reverse sneezing isn’t dangerous, but it is frightening for your dog. I would recommend removing the plug-in air freshener, as it is highly likely that this has triggered Peanut’s allergies. If and when Peanut has an attack of reverse sneezing, you can help her out by placing your finger over one of her nostrils, giving her firm chest pats, or rubbing her throat. I’ve included some articles at the bottom that will help you out with some more information and tips on how to interrupt reverse sneezing. If things aren’t improving, I would recommend booking an online consultation with one of the vets at Pangovet.com. I hope this solves things quickly for you and Peanut! Dr Karyn http://dogster.com/doggos-weekly/freds-reverse-sneezing https://www.dogster.com/ask-the-vet/reverse-sneezing-in-dogs