A dog sneezing occasionally can be harmless and kinda cute. However, if the occurrence is becoming more and more frequent, or is combined with other symptoms — it can set off alarm bells.
Understanding dog sneezing can help you pinpoint when it’s a cause for concern and when it’s not.
This comprehensive guide looks at what potentially causes your dog to sneeze and how to handle it.
Common Reasons a Dog Keeps Sneezing
While canine sneezing can be a normal response to irritants, when a dog won’t stop sneezing, it can be more worrying — whether you’re an experienced dog owner or this is your first pet.
Some of the more common canine sneezing causes are listed below. Check if your pup shows any of the signs and how to react.
Environmental Irritants
Unfortunately, dogs tend to explore the world with their noses. This makes them more vulnerable to any irritants that may be in their local environment.
Some dogs are more sensitive to airborne irritants such as pollen or dust. When these small particles get trapped in their nasal passages or throat, it can cause a sneeze due to irritation.
Other common irritants found around the home include cleaning products, air fresheners, perfumes, scented candles, or smoke.
Allergies
Perhaps the biggest cause of a dog sneezing a lot is an allergic reaction. When their sneezing episodes seem more frequent, it could be an allergy to a new cleaning product you may be trying or too much dust in their space.
Dogs can also be prone to seasonal allergies. If your pup’s sneezing seems worse during the spring or summer — especially after they’ve been outdoors or when a window is open in your home — it may be pollen, grass, mold, or even flea saliva triggering an allergic reaction.
Other symptoms of an allergy could be your dog coughing accompanied by itching, teary eyes, or even a skin rash/hot spots. A vet can help diagnose any allergies your pup may have and prescribe medications to help alleviate the symptoms. Read more in our guide on Dog Allergy Testing.
Food Allergies
If, after eating, your dog starts constantly sneezing, it may be a sign of a food allergy. Although allergies to food more often target the skin, coat, and digestive system than a dog’s respiratory system, you can’t rule out sneezing as a symptom.
Try changing your pup’s diet to include different protein sources and more high-quality ingredients to manage a suspected food allergy. However, go slowly, you don’t want to upset your dog’s stomach further by changing their food too often.
To learn more, check out our guide on What Is the Best Food for Dog Allergies?
Inhaling Foreign Objects
If your dog won’t stop sneezing, it can be symptomatic of a foreign object stuck in their nose.
Dogs can accidentally inhale things such as grass, leaves, small twigs, and other plant-based substances like seedlings as well as food particles and even insects. A sign of a foreign object blockage in a pup’s nose may include excessive sneezing accompanied by pawing at their nose or rubbing along the ground.
Don’t try to remove the foreign object yourself, you may end up harming the pup.
Social Sneezing
Dogs often sneeze to show they are feeling happy or excited, especially during playtime. A play sneeze in more lively “play” fights can show they aren’t being overly aggressive and just having fun.
Normally intermittent and with no other symptoms, dogs sneeze to diffuse any tension, sometimes almost comically. Along with wagging their tails or pricking up their ears, sneezing can be used by a pup to communicate.
Reverse Sneezing in Dogs
Particularly common in small or brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds, like the Shih Tzu, Pug, or Boxer — reverse sneezing is a phenomenon where your pooch inhales through their nose rather than exhaling rapidly. This can look alarming but is usually harmless.
Although your pup may make a grunt-like snorting sound, or even sound as though they are struggling to breathe, it’s simply their way of dislodging any obstruction. Reverse sneezing may not be comfortable for your pup, but a single episode is usually nothing to worry about.
To learn how to recognize the symptoms and how to react to them, check out our guide on Reverse Sneezing in Dogs.
When a Dog Constantly Sneezing Can Be More Serious
If your pooch is sneezing more than usual, especially with other signs of concern, such as nose bleeds, discharge, and excessively wet or dry noses, you should speak to your vet. Any of the following conditions may be affecting your pup.
Infections
Bacterial, fungal, or viral upper respiratory infections can lead to sneezing. When a dog is experiencing an infection, other symptoms may include a bloody or thick mucus-like discharge from the nose, loss of appetite, and general lethargy.
A dog sneezing and coughing is also a sign of conditions like canine influenza or kennel cough. Dogs suffering from the latter will also have a runny nose and the persistent cough will be distinctive, like a goose call.
Kennel cough is contagious and can be particularly dangerous to puppies, or senior and vulnerable dogs. If you suspect this infection or any other type of condition easily passed on to other animals, you must warn your vet before visiting them.
Dental Problems
Sneezing can sometimes be a sign your pup is experiencing tooth decay or other dental issues such as gum disease or an abscess.
Some of the teeth in your dog’s jaw have long roots that can extend up close to their nasal passage. A tooth infection can spread further along the root, causing the pup to sneeze or have a runny nose.
Nasal Mites
If your dog enjoys digging around in the dirt or is a breed with a longer nose, they can be more at risk of nasal mites, which may be causing them to sneeze a lot. Small parasites typically found in dirt or dust, can live in the nasal passages and sinuses causing severe irritation.
Along with the inflammation, irritation, and chronic sneezing fits, you may notice your pup has an itchy nose accompanied by a thick and bloody discharge.
Nasal Tumors or Polyps
Though very rare, persistent sneezing may be caused by growths in the nasal cavity. Some senior dogs may develop a tumor that can obstruct the nasal passage, leading to other symptoms like nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, or sneezing.
Some of the growths, such as polyps and cysts, may be benign, but tumors can often be cancerous.
My Dog Won’t Stop Sneezing — How a Vet Can Help
If the episodes of chronic sneezing seem ever more frequent and last for longer periods, you should seek the assistance of a vet.
When you first visit a vet for a sneezing issue, they may perform:
- Physical examination — checking your dog’s nose, throat, and lungs.
- Nasal swabs or cultures — to identify any infections or pathogens in your pup’s nose.
- X-ray or CT scans — a vet can check for tumors, polyps, or any foreign objects.
- Allergy testing — checking for suspected allergens.
Treatment Options for a Dog Constantly Sneezing
The course of action your vet takes will depend on the cause. These can include the following:
- Removal of foreign objects — when a foreign object is the route of the problem, a vet can safely remove the object using anesthesia if necessary.
- Medications — when an infection is suspected, a vet can prescribe either antibiotics or antifungal medications to address the root of the problem. If it’s viral, the symptoms will be treated.
Pet-safe antihistamines can be used to alleviate seasonal allergies when pollen levels are high, or in extreme allergy cases, a vet may recommend a steroid-based treatment.
- Advice on managing allergens — if your pup has seasonal or environmental allergies, in addition to meds, your vet can advise on ways you can limit your pup’s exposure to any triggers.
Keep a dust-free house, use air purifiers, limit your use of stronger household cleaning chemicals, and supervise your pooch when playing outdoors.
- Dietary recommendations — a vet can run tests to find out what foods your dog may be allergic to. Working with your vet, you can draw up an alternative nutrition plan and diet to combat those allergies. Check out our guide on the Best Foods for Dogs With Allergies.
- Parasite control — for nasal mites, antiparasitic medications like ivermectin may be prescribed.
- Surgery — should a tumor or polyps be detected, your vet can arrange for surgical removal when necessary.
Conclusion
Sneezing is a perfectly natural process that’s normally harmless and can even be quite adorable in dogs. If your dog sneezes just a few times and shows no other signs of illness or discomfort, it’s unlikely to be anything to worry about too much.
By understanding the potential causes of canine sneezing — whether it’s allergies, infections, or something as simple as dust — you can take better care of your furry pal. However, when in doubt about your dog sneezing, consult with your vet. A healthy, happy dog is worth the extra care and attention.
Dog Sneezing FAQs
Why Is My Puppy Sneezing?
Young puppies who still have developing immune systems may be more sensitive to allergies and irritants than adult dogs, causing them to be more sneezy. However, if your puppy is sneezing frequently and seems unwell, you should consult a vet promptly.
Puppies can be particularly vulnerable to conditions like distemper or kennel cough.
What Does It Mean if My Dog Has a Runny Nose and Sneezing?
Dogs can often show cold and flu-like symptoms, especially in the cooler months. This can include sneezing, a runny nose, eye discharge, coughing, and a fever. If this persists, contact your vet. But, remember kennel cough and dog influenza can be highly contagious.
Why Is My Dog Sneezing So Much Suddenly?
Sometimes the frequency of your dog’s sneezing can increase very suddenly due to either a change in their environment, their diet, the seasons, or because of an illness.
To learn more, take a look at the Common Reasons and More Serious Sneezing Issues above.
What Are Dogs Telling You When They Sneeze?
Sneezing often indicates playfulness in a pup, just as sighing or yawning may indicate relief. Both expressions are part of a pup’s self-regulation mechanism, and occasional sneezing shouldn’t be anything to be concerned about.
My Dog Won’t Stop Sneezing? Should I Take My Dog to the Vet?
It’s always best to consult with your vet when you notice your dog can’t stop sneezing or is sneezing much more than usual. Other symptoms, including nasal discharge, coughing, and vomiting, may indicate a more serious underlying health condition.
