A typical reverse sneezing episode in dogs lasts only a few seconds, though some episodes can stretch to about 30 seconds or, rarely, a minute. The episode ends on its own, and your dog returns to completely normal breathing immediately afterward. While it looks and sounds alarming, reverse sneezing is almost always harmless.
What Reverse Sneezing Looks and Sounds Like
During a reverse sneeze, your dog stands still, extends their neck, and makes rapid, forceful inhalations through the nose that produce a loud snorting or honking sound. Unlike a regular sneeze where air blasts outward, a reverse sneeze pulls air sharply inward while the opening to the windpipe closes. Your dog’s chest and abdomen may heave with each inhalation, and their eyes might bulge slightly. It can easily be mistaken for choking or an asthma attack if you’ve never seen it before.
Once the episode passes, your dog will typically swallow, lick their nose, and go right back to whatever they were doing. There’s no lingering cough, no wheezing, and no distress. If your dog seems completely fine within seconds of the episode ending, that’s the strongest sign it was a reverse sneeze and nothing more serious.
Why It Happens
Reverse sneezing is triggered when something irritates the lining of the nasopharynx, the area where the nasal passages meet the throat. That irritation causes the muscles in the throat to spasm, temporarily blocking airflow to the windpipe. The body is essentially trying to clear whatever is bothering the nasal passage by pulling it backward into the throat to be swallowed rather than pushing it out through the nose like a regular sneeze. The process also helps clear mucus and debris from the upper airways, sometimes triggering a normal cough once the reverse sneezing stops.
Common triggers include dust, pollen, household cleaning products, perfumes, cigarette smoke, sudden temperature changes (like walking from air conditioning into hot air), pulling against a leash, drinking water too fast, and excitement. Some dogs reverse sneeze after eating, and others seem to have episodes triggered by nothing obvious at all.
Breeds That Reverse Sneeze More Often
Any dog can reverse sneeze, but flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds like Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzus, and Boxers do it more frequently. The reason is anatomical: these breeds tend to have an elongated soft palate, meaning the floppy tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth is longer than ideal and more easily contacts the throat, triggering spasms. Small breeds in general also seem more prone, likely because their airways are narrower and more easily irritated.
For brachycephalic dogs that reverse sneeze very frequently or show other signs of labored breathing, snoring, or exercise intolerance, the underlying issue may be brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. In those cases, surgery to shorten the soft palate can reduce episodes and improve overall breathing.
How to Help During an Episode
Most of the time, you don’t need to do anything. Stay calm, speak to your dog in a soothing voice, and wait. The episode will resolve on its own within seconds. Gently massaging your dog’s throat can sometimes help by encouraging a swallow, which resets the soft palate and stops the spasm. Some owners have success briefly covering one nostril to encourage their dog to swallow, or gently blowing on their dog’s face. Offering a small amount of water after the episode ends can also help settle things.
What you should avoid: don’t restrain your dog, don’t stick your fingers in their mouth, and don’t panic. Your anxiety can increase theirs, potentially prolonging the episode.
Reverse Sneezing Versus More Serious Conditions
The key feature of a reverse sneeze is that it stops completely and your dog is totally normal between episodes. Several other conditions can look or sound similar but behave differently.
Tracheal collapse, common in small and toy breeds, produces a persistent, harsh, dry cough often described as a “goose honk.” Unlike reverse sneezing, this cough can be triggered by gently pressing on the throat, tends to worsen with exercise or excitement, and doesn’t fully resolve between episodes. In severe cases, dogs may wheeze when breathing in, develop blue-tinged gums, or faint.
Kennel cough produces a forceful, repetitive cough that can sound similar but typically comes with other signs of illness like lethargy, nasal discharge, or reduced appetite. Heart disease can also cause coughing that worsens at night or after exertion. In all of these conditions, the symptoms persist or worsen over time rather than appearing as brief, self-resolving episodes with completely normal behavior in between.
When Reverse Sneezing Signals a Problem
Occasional reverse sneezing, even a few times a week, is normal for many dogs and requires no treatment. The pattern worth paying attention to is change. If your dog has never reverse sneezed before and suddenly starts doing it frequently, or if a dog who occasionally reverse sneezes begins having longer or more frequent episodes, something new may be irritating the nasal passages. Possibilities include seasonal allergies, nasal mites (tiny parasites that live in the nasal passages), nasal polyps, foreign objects like grass awns, or in rare cases, nasal tumors.
Other signs that warrant a veterinary visit alongside increased reverse sneezing include nasal discharge (especially if bloody or from one side only), persistent sneezing in addition to reverse sneezing, labored breathing between episodes, reduced appetite, or episodes that last noticeably longer than they used to. A veterinarian can examine the nasal passages with a small camera (rhinoscopy) or use imaging to identify structural problems, foreign material, or growths that may be driving the episodes.