Health
Neck stretched, eyes wide, loud snorting in-breaths, then it is over. Usually it is reverse sneezing, a harmless reflex, but a few conditions look very like it.
Caution. Blue or grey gums, fainting, an episode that will not stop within a few minutes, laboured breathing at rest, blood or discharge from one nostril, violent sneezing after a walk through long grass: ring your own vet today.
Do not look for the answer in a Facebook group, on TikTok or on a forum. Look for someone trained for this: your dog's own veterinarian, the only person who can examine, investigate and treat them.
Use this page to know what to observe, what to note and what to ask at the appointment, not to treat at home. If you still have doubts after a consultation, ask another vet or a specialist (dermatologist, internist) for a second opinion, not a group. And if you do not have a regular vet yet, find one now, while your dog is healthy: how to choose a veterinary clinic.
Your dog was lying on his bed, then suddenly froze in the middle of the room. Neck stretched out, elbows wide, eyes bulging, and he is pulling air in through his nose in loud, snorting bursts, as if he were snoring wide awake. It lasts twenty seconds and your heart is in your mouth. Then he shakes himself off and wanders over to the water bowl as though nothing happened. Most of the time this is reverse sneezing: a harmless reflex, common in small dogs and flat-faced breeds. Now and then, though, it looks like something less innocent. Here is how to tell them apart, what to do while it is happening and when to see the vet.
A typical reverse sneeze stops by itself in under a minute and the dog is normal straight afterwards. Ring today, or go straight to the vet, if:
Book an appointment in the next few days if the episodes get more frequent from one month to the next, or if new snoring starts showing up during the day, when he is awake.
This is the most useful thing you can do. The episode never happens at the clinic, and "snorting oddly through his nose" could describe three different conditions. Film close up, from the side, with sound, from the first second until after it has stopped. Get the gums in shot if you can.
| What it looks like | What it might be |
|---|---|
| Long, noisy in-breaths through the nose, dog standing still with neck stretched, over in under a minute | Reverse sneezing |
| Dry, forceful "goose honk" cough, mostly in small dogs, with excitement or pulling on a collar | A windpipe that flattens (tracheal collapse) |
| A cough ending in a retch, as if he is about to be sick | Kennel cough or another respiratory infection |
| Snoring during the day too, noisy breathing with any effort, in a flat-faced dog | Narrow airways, typical of brachycephalic breeds |
| Sudden violent sneezing after a walk, pawing at the nose, one nostril | Something stuck in the nose (grass seed) |
| Noisy breathing on the in-breath and a changed voice, in a large older dog | Laryngeal paralysis |
| Discharge from one nostril, blood, older dog | Nasal disease, including tumours |
After a few weeks of keeping the diary, one or two things usually stand out because they keep coming up. The most common are excitement at the door when visitors arrive, a collar pulled tight on the lead, gulping water, dust from the hoover, spring pollen, perfumes and room fresheners. Some of these are easy to take out of his life: a harness instead of a collar, a bowl that slows his drinking, the air freshener in the bin. In dogs with seasonal allergies, episodes bunch up in spring and thin out in summer. Tell your vet, because it changes what they look for.
In a dog with a normal-length muzzle, snoring in deep sleep is usually just snoring. In pugs, French and English bulldogs, Shih Tzus and Boxers, snoring and noisy breathing while awake often come from the way they are built: narrow nostrils, a soft palate that is too long, a narrow windpipe. Plenty of people think it is "normal for the breed". It is common in the breed, but the dog is working harder to breathe than he should. Note whether he tires quickly on walks, struggles in summer, sleeps with his head propped on something or wakes up suddenly. Extra weight makes all of it worse.
Stay calm and talk to him softly. You can gently stroke his throat from top to bottom, or cover his nostrils with your fingers for a second or two so that he swallows; swallowing usually stops the reflex. If he is wearing a collar, undo it. Do not scoop him up suddenly and do not put your fingers in his mouth. Most episodes end on their own within seconds, whatever you do.
What dog owners search for most often on the internet about this problem, with the short answer. The answers are a guide only: the decision belongs to your dog's own vet, after an examination.
A reflex of the nose and throat, which vets also call paroxysmal respiration. The dog pulls air in through his nose fast and noisily, in bursts, standing still with his neck stretched and elbows out. It looks as though he is choking, but air is getting in. It passes within seconds, a minute or two at most, and he is normal straight afterwards.
Usually not. The trouble is that other things look like it: a flattening windpipe in small dogs, a grass seed in the nose, the narrow airways of flat-faced breeds, nasal disease in older dogs. If episodes become more frequent or longer, or come with blood, discharge or blue gums, take a video to your vet.
Stay calm and talk to him softly. Gently stroke his throat from top to bottom, or cover his nostrils for a second or two so he swallows; swallowing usually stops the reflex. Undo his collar. Do not put your fingers in his throat. Film it for your vet, especially if it is the first episode or looks different from usual.
In dogs with a normal muzzle, snoring in deep sleep is usually harmless. In pugs, bulldogs and other flat-faced breeds, snoring, especially during the day, often comes from narrow nostrils and an overlong soft palate that make breathing harder work. Extra weight makes it worse. A vet check shows how narrow the airways are.
If it started suddenly after a walk through long grass, with violent sneezing, pawing at the nose or discharge from one nostril, it may be a grass seed up his nose. Grass seeds only travel forwards and do not come out on their own. See your vet the same day and do not try to get it out yourself.
The information on this page is educational and does not replace an examination. For full details and a diagnosis, consult your dog's own veterinarian.
They often come together: the same causes, plans that complement each other.
A goose-honk cough a week after kennels, a night-time cough in an old dog, bursts of sneezing after a field walk. Three sounds, three directions, one first step: film it.
Sudden head shaking after a walk through dry grass, sneezing fits, one eye held shut. A grass seed only travels forwards, so the first few hours count.
He slept all evening, the room is cool, and now he is panting by the bed. One minute spent counting his sleeping breaths tells you more than any search.
You can no longer feel his ribs, the waist has gone, he pants after three flights of stairs. Fat creeps on and hides up close, but your hands find it in two minutes.
We work with your dog's behaviour, not its health. For any sign described here, book an appointment with your own vet; the related services page explains how to choose a clinic.