Why is my puppy breathing milk out of its nose? Is it dangerous?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Pug | Male | unneutered | 5 days old
Why is my puppy occasionally breathing milk out of his nose and is it dangerous? The puppies are not bottle fed and is fed by the mother.
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 7th, 2020
Yes, this can be dangerous as your puppy may aspirate some milk into the lungs and develop serious pneumonia as a result. Your puppy should be checked for cleft palate - sometimes a small cleft will not stop the puppy from feeding from the mum but at the same time some milk may get into the nose and lungs. I think you can check it yourself by looking at the roof of the puppy's mouth. If you are not sure how to do it, please take the puppy to your local vets.
15Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on
Milk coming out of the nose is concerning, and is often a sign of a birth defect called a cleft palate. I would recommend having this pup checked by a veterinarian to see if he has this problem, or if something else is wrong.
15Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on April 5th, 2019
No this is not normal - the nasal dishcarge is commonly seen in pups which have aspirated milk and caused infection. In some cases a cleft or other birth defect can be very far back in the throat and may not be immediately visible without sedation and lights being shone in the back of the throat. It sounds like he will require antibiotics and possibly medication to break up the mucus - a full vet check is recommended urgently; they may also recommend weaning onto semi solid food which may be easier to swallow for him
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on February 27th, 2019
It is okay if they don't poop with every meal. I am concerned that the milk came out of his nose. I would make sure the roof of his mouth looks normal and he doesn't have a cleft palate. If he is labored breathing or stops eating, I would strongly recommend to have your vet take a look at him to ensure he doesn't have any genetic abnormalities or aspiration pneumonia. Keep a close eye on him. I hope this helps!
5Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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