Common Reasons Dogs Sneeze
It is important for dog owners to realize that if your dog ever has a bloody nose, you should contact your veterinarian, immediately. In addition, if the sneezing is causing discomfort for your dog, or concern for you, a visit to the veterinarian is also recommended. Chances are that it probably will not be anything serious but, like so many conditions, the sooner treatment is initiated, the easier it is to eliminate the problem. Excessive sneezing in is usually caused by: allergies, infections, foreign bodies, or tumors. The good news is that they are all very different, and present predictable signs and patterns.
Allergies. Most allergies are usually seasonal, and the most common ones are in response to pollen, grains, and other plant fibers. Tree pollens are most abundant in the late spring and early summer, grass pollen is usually a mid-summer problem, while the weeds and other plants generally give off their pollen in the fall. Each type is usually only present for two to four weeks. Since a dog is usually only allergic to one of these, sneezing is most often limited to a certain period. If your dog is sneezing with some watering of the eyes, chewing on the feet, and scratching on his sides, that is about all you need for a diagnosis. Keep in mind, that there are a few animals that are allergic to things that are inhaled such as rug fibers or cigarette smoke. With any allergy-induced sneezing it will be bilateral, which means that it affects both the right and left nasal passageways. Dogs with allergies suffer, but generally show no other signs. In other words, they eat, drink, and remain as active, as they always were.
Infections. While these do induce sneezing in dogs, they are usually more serious. This can also be an infection from a tooth, or its root, that protrudes upward, and drains into the nose. There are also infections that occur on membranes, within the nose or sinuses. Dogs that suffer from a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection of the nose can have the condition at any time of the year. In most cases they turn into long term, chronic conditions. Dog owners should be aware that there is almost always a bloody or puss-like discharge, from the nose and it may affect one side only or both sides.
Foreign Bodies. This is a term referring to an inanimate object that has gained access to the dog's body. These can cause some horrendous sneezing fits in the dog. Some larger and more active may encounter this problem after an energetic walk outside. Dogs have been found to have a variety of objects (small rocks, sticks, pieces of bushes) stuck in their nose that bring on fits of sneezing in an attempt to get rid of the lodged object. Many times your vet will need to remove anything that has become lodged into your dog's nose. Keep in mind that generally with a foreign body in the nose, discharge only comes from the injured side of the nose.
Tumors. This is a problem that is most typical in older dogs, (usually eight years of age or older). They are not very common, and most vets report only seeing two or three cases every year. Dogs with an intranasal tumor usually exhibit a bloody discharge from only one side. The sneezing, unlike an animal with a foreign body, starts out as only an occasional occurrence. Over a period of several weeks or months it becomes more frequent. Keep in mind that this is a slow process, causing no rapid changes within the area. These tumors are typically malignant, and are therefore difficult to treat. Surgery and chemotherapy are always available, but surgical intervention in this area of the body is extremely difficult.
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