What Causes Dogs to Sneeze in Limerick, PA?

Dogs can often be seen sneezing and many people wonder what causes this reaction. They can often be quite dramatic about their sneezing, at least to human perception. If your dog is sneezing noisily, you might have wondered why they started sneezing in the first place.

Dogs can sneeze for all the same reasons that people can. Your dog might sneeze if you feel like sneezing and sometimes you will find yourself sneezing right along with your dog. Dog sneezing does not always have to indicate that your pet is sick, just like the way that a sneeze in a human does not automatically mean that the person is sick.

What Causes Dogs to Sneeze?

There are many different things that would cause a dog to sneeze. Here are a few:

1. Allergies

Your dog can sneeze when exposed to allergens. Dust, mold, food allergies, and more can lead to your dog sneezing. Your dog might have the same antihistamine response as a human would when exposed to allergens and they can sneeze when they are exposed to things they are allergic to. If you are worried about your dog sneezing frequently, you can take them to the veterinarian to see if there is any way to help them with their allergies.

2. Nasal Mites

Nasal mites are not a common condition, but these little invaders can be transmitted from dog to dog and lead to sneezing. The sneezing that comes with mites can also create lots of nasal discharge and nasal swelling. This is an uncommon reason for your dog to be sneezing, but some dogs do contract this condition. A vet will have to help you to diagnose this condition and to treat it.

3. Bacterial and Fungal Infection

Dogs can get fungal and bacterial infections in their noses that can lead to sneezing. This sneezing will often be accompanied by swelling and redness as well as increased nasal discharge. You will need to head to the vet for this condition to be diagnosed and you will want to get help for your dog in the form of antibiotics or antifungals.

4. Viral Infections

Your dog can get a cold or kennel cough from other dogs that they are exposed to. This is just like a child getting an illness and your dog will need some time to recover from their sickness. You can keep your dog comfortable and keep them warm and dry to help them to feel better. Viral infections will run their course and your dog will feel better after a few days in most cases. Be wary of coughing or other signs of secondary infections and conditions that might be related to your dog’s sneezing.

5. Excitement

Some dogs will sneeze when they are excited as well. This often shows up as a few short sneezes that might happen while your dog is dancing around or leaping with joy. This is not something that all dogs do, but some dogs will sneeze when they are wound up or very excited about something.

6. To Relax

Some dogs will sneeze when they are trying to calm down. This is a behavior that is a lot like when dogs yawn to calm down. Sneezing and yawning can both be signs that your dog is trying to self-soothe when they are upset. This is a confusing behavior, but it is one that many dogs display when they are upset or worried. This can be a sign of your dog releasing adrenaline.

7. Foreign Object

Sometimes dogs can sniff things up into their nose when they are playing or checking out something they are interested in. This might be a blade of grass or a wood chip or something else. This might require the help of a veterinarian to get the object out of your dog’s nose. This is not common, but violent and repeated sneezing can be a sign that there is something that is stuck in your dog’s nose that needs to be removed.

8. Dental Issues

Dental problems can also be linked to sneezing in dogs. This is because discomfort in the mouth or abscesses and other painful conditions can lead to irritation in the nose too. Sneezing can be linked to the pain that your dog is feeling in its mouth. This is hard to diagnose without the help of a vet and you should take your dog to see the vet if they are sneezing hard and seem not to be getting any relief from doing so.

9. Communication

Dogs can also sneeze as part of talking to one another. They might do this to show that they are excited, happy, or even submissive. You will often see dogs that are in large groups sneezing as they greet one another or as they play with one another. This can be a sign of all kinds of emotions that need to be shared between dogs who are spending time together for the first time.

Dog Sneezing Can be Caused by a Variety of Things

If your dog is sneezing, it is probably not because they are sick. It is more likely that they are communicating with you or that they have been exposed to something like dust that has made them sneeze. You should always make sure that you take violent sneezing seriously and make sure that your vet looks at your dog’s nose in case there is something trapped in their nasal passage or in the case that they have gotten a nasal infection.

Light and small sneezes are perfectly normal dog behavior, and you will find that you will not need to be concerned about sneezes that are not violent and are not accompanied by swelling or discharge. Your dog can get a cold, but this is often something that will improve on its own after a few days. Make sure that you look for signs of fever or other secondary problems that will need more attention.

To talk with a vet about your dog’s sneezing call Limerick Veterinary Hospital at (610) 489-2848 or book an appointment online!