What does it mean when your dog sneezes?

A call came in from a concerned pet owner complaining about how her dog started sneezing, the reason why a dog would start to sneeze varies and is not limited to one. A sneezing dog could be cute if you carefully observe them during the sneezing procedure, they squeeze their eyes shut and scrunch up their noses before they let out the sound, while sneezing out could mean nothing, it could also mean something.

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Your dog may be sneezing based on environmental reasons, we know dogs sniff around a lot, and during one of the processes of them trying to sniff, there is a great tendency of them to inhale something that is actually irritating and may get stuck in their nose, so most times when your dog stick his nose into grass or dirt, you may find them sneezing. It could also be an irritating smell like a household product, perfume, or even dust. There are times when an insect sting on the nose could stimulate sneezing

It may be interesting to know that, dogs also sneeze as a form of communication with humans and animals, sneezing is simply a form of communication, just like the facial expression and body language of the pet. Dogs can actually use sneezing as a calming signal, which shows that they are moving too much and they need to take a break or slow down, they also use it as a strong sign to communicate if they are comfortable or not. If you notice your dog is sneezing while with another dog, he may be trying to show how excited he is, and how they both feel very playful also while playing, dogs may curl their lips creating a wrinkled nose that can cause their body to give out a sneeze. You will notice a playful sneeze easily because it is usually a short snort coming out of the nose and not the lungs.

Your dog could also fake a sneeze just to get attention or to show you that they want to play, if your dog is found sneezing when you are eating, it could be that they are freaking it just to get your attention. When your dog sneezes, he may look at your face in order to be sure they have your attention, sometimes, they could even move close to you in order to be sure you don't ignore them. Sneezing is very healthy, as the body actually does what it needs to do, but it can also be a sign of a cold, which is a mild health condition, but on the other hand, it can be a sign of a more serious nasal passage problem or teeth problem, there could also be a nasal obstruction which could be a piece of grass or a severe cancerous tumor.

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The breed of your pet may make it difficult for them to breathe, usually, because of the shape of their throat and muzzle, these breeds include; Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, Pugs, and Pekingese actually have their nasal passages compressed, giving them higher chance to sneeze. Fungal respiratory infections can cause your dog to sneeze, nasal tumors can cause nosebleeds and sneezing.

In order to know if your dog sneezing is normal or something you need to be concerned about, then you have to first identify how frequently it happens. If it appears that your dog is experiencing pain while sneezing or has nasal discharge, then the help of a vet needs to be sorted out immediately. Your dog frequently sneezing could imply an obstruction with the nasal passage that requires examination by the vet.

Do not fail to report even the lightest sneezing case to a vet, because you may never be able to tell if something is wrong or not and it is not advisable to treat your dog's cough with some form of home-based remedies, especially if your vet's sneezing gets accompanied with one or more of this symptoms; sudden/excessive violence, change in appetite, coughing, nasal discharge particularly yellow or green, fever, coughing or runny eyes.

In order to have your pet treated, the vet could describe an antibiotic, especially if there is a suspicion that the sneezing is a result of an upper respiratory infection, medication, and environmental allergen, be sure to tell your vet about the previous medication your pet has taken as this will help him know the next one to prescribe.

Preventing future sneezing in pets is dependent on what caused the previous occurrence of sneezing, ensure that you get your pet up to date on prescribed vaccination, environmental allergens should be curbed through regular vaccination and limiting noxious aerosols like room sprays, diffusers, and other things that could get their nose sniffed up If it turns out that, your dog's sneezing is only while they are playing, or trying to get your attention, then there is nothing to worry about.

Conclusion.

Your pet's sneezing could either be a normal thing or a serious health condition, in order to identify the difference, you must pay attention to the time the sneezing is going on, does it only happen when the dog is playing or trying to get attention, then that is cool but when it comes very often with other symptoms like aggressiveness or a runny nose, then you have to visit a vet instantly.