Why does my small dog reverse sneeze when excited? Is it normal?

Question

Our 2.5 yo, 4.5LB Chihuahua, Lulu, was adopted 5 months ago. During this time she has sporadic coughing or reverse sneezing fits especially when excited. She is fed premium food, walked daily, has her distemper, CAV2, parainflu, and parovirus. She is not social with other animals. We keep a steady flow of fresh air throughout our home but the temp never dropped below 20°C. Is this normal? We plan on her getting vacced for Bordetella and Lyme. Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | spayed | 2 years and 10 months old | 4.5 lbs

Elva Ma DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question! Lulu is such a cutie! Reverse sneezing is quite common in small breed dogs and for the most part is quite harmless. You can try to prevent the episodes by minimizing her level of excitement (e.g. Not getting overly excited yourself when she greets you at the door), and using a harness instead of a collar when out for walks. One thing that I did with my dog to stop the reverse sneezing episodes was to gently put my finger across his nostrils, to block the airflow through the nose and force him to breathe through his mouth. This worked so well that he eventually learned to do it himself! If the reverse sneezing and coughing episodes seem to be truly bothersome to Lulu, I would recommend taking her to the vet. In rare cases, reverse sneezing may be associated with allergies or nasal foreign bodies. I hope this helps, and that Lulu is otherwise doing well!

Why does my small dog reverse sneeze when excited? Is it normal?

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