Ah-choo! Reverse Sneezing in Dogs

Todos estornudamos de vez en cuando cuando el polvo, el caspa u otros irritantes nos hacen cosquillas en la nariz y las gargantas. Resulta que los perros estornudan, también, por muchas de las mismas razones. Una reacción más sorprendente, sin embargo, es el estornudo inverso: el reflejo por el cual los perros rápidamente extraen aire en sus cuerpos para eliminar los irritantes de la zona detrás de sus fosas nasales. Muchos propietarios confunden estos episodios altos y sibilantes de ataques de asma, causando pánico y viajes de emergencia al veterinario. En realidad, sin embargo, los sonidos sorprendentes son una parte relativamente normal de la vida de algunos perros, al igual que los estornudos es para los seres humanos. Su compañero canino puede parecer angustiado cuando el estornudo inverso golpea, pero en verdad, es comportamiento inofensivo en la mayoría de los perros y no deja ningún efecto enfermo duradero.
 
Reverse sneezing typically occurs when something irritates a dog’s soft palate (the fleshy bit at the back of the roof of his mouth) or throat. Whereas air is forced out through the nose in a regular sneeze, air is pulled rapidly in through the nose during a reverse sneeze. This causes a dog to make a loud snorting or gasping sound as he extends his neck and gulps in air.  It is a disturbing display, but veterinarians agree that reverse sneezing is actually fairly common in dogs. Smalls dogs are more prone to it due to their smaller air passageways, as are breeds such as pugs and bulldogs with elongated soft palates. Episodes can last anywhere between a few seconds up to a few minutes and may appear in dogs at any stage of life. Whether it’s allergies or mites, treating the underlying cause is the best way to prevent reverse sneezing. Some dogs simply have an attack when they’re excited, while other may reverse sneeze due to perfumes or household chemicals; exercise intolerance; pulling on a leash; or even eating and drinking. If an episode doesn’t end quickly, you can try helping your wheezing companion in several ways. Gently massage his throat to stop the spasm; cover his nostrils to make him swallow and clear the irritant from his throat; or press his tongue down to aid breathing. Different techniques work for different pets, so you will have to experiment gently to find out the best way to help your pooch.
 
Reverse sneezing doesn’t usually require treatment, but if it becomes a chronic problem, you should seek your veterinarian’s advice. As a general rule, if your dog is reverse sneezing more often than the average human sneezes, you should seek help. If allergies are the root of the problem, for example, your vet may prescribe antihistamines. He can also rule out other causes such as respiratory tract infections or foreign bodies that could be blocking your dog’s airway. Asthma, on the other hand, is vastly less common in dogs and is typically accompanied by a chronic cough. Though rare, dogs with asthma likely struggle more with exercising and fatigue and the condition is almost always caused by an allergic reaction to something in the environment.