Help! My Dog Keeps Sneezing! Here are 3 Top Fixes for Dog Sinus Infections

Is your dog constantly sneezing and you’re unsure of the cause?

Well the answer can be any number of issues or conditions that could be afflicting your dog.

And they range from fairly mild allergies and reactions to potentially dangerous infections.

The occasional sneeze, or even two or three in succession, is fine.

It’s fairly normal since the odd dust particle may tickle the inside of your nose.

However…

If your dog keeps sneezing and can’t seem to stop, there might be more to it.

Possible Reasons Why Your Dog Keeps Sneezing

There could be several probable reasons why a dog may suffer through uncontrolled, repetitive sneezing.

Here are a few:

1. Inhaling Foreign Bodies

With your pooch having his nose to the ground snuffling around everywhere he’s bound to accidentally inhale dirt or other matter.

Usually these are small enough and your dog doesn’t inhale too much of them to cause much trouble.

But sometimes the situation can get dire.

For instance if your puppy accidently has a pebble or a twig lodged up his nose, it can be painful and dangerous too.

Or it may be something that triggers an allergy in him which can cause sneezing, inflammation or worse reactions.

Allergic reactions usually manifest as sneezing fits, runny noses.

Sure, right?

But sometimes they can also lead to dog skin problems as in atopy, and dog eye problems like pus or mucus like discharge from the tear ducts.

So if you see your puppy sneezing away, pawing at his nose or shaking his head, signs of allergic reactions, or if you notice things like a bulge in his nose or bleeding, take him to the vet pronto to be examined and fixed!

Seriously.

If your puppy has happened to have inhaled or ingested something like foxtail, it can cause lethal infection in his body since it doesn’t break down easily.

2. Nasal Mites

These bugs sometimes get inhaled from all the sniffing around in the dirt and shrubs, and can be a real bother to your dog.

They settle down in her nasal cavity or sinuses, and cause a world of irritation, from itching to incessant sneezing, to even heavy discharge or nosebleeds.

Disgusting, huh?

Nasal mites are normally easily gotten rid of with some prescribed medication from the vet.

But the point is to catch it soon to save your pup all the misery.

3. Irritants from Household Products

At times the chemicals in common household products, or stuff like tobacco smoke or even perfume can trigger a violent sneezing fit in your pooch.

Really.

The only thing you can do here is be alert and observant enough to identify what’s causing the problem and either stop using it, or at least avoid so in your dog’s presence.

4. Nasal Tumors

Probably one of the worst things to catch…

If your dog happens to develop nasal tumors, she may be in for a tough time getting treatment.

Getting operated upon is usually out of the question, so all that’s left is some sickening, stressful chemotherapy – often with poor results.

Naturally.

But worse is…

Tumors, oddly, can be quite common in dogs – especially ones with longer snouts.

And they do cause symptoms like frequent sneezing along with discharge.

And often the cause turns out to be the sort of chemical irritants from point 3 above – particularly tobacco smoke.

So do your best to avoid those, and pray hard your dog never suffers the fate.

5. Chronic Issues with Brachycephalic Breeds

These are the breeds of dog that have those pushed-in faces and short snouts, like Bulldogs and Pugs.

And you guessed it…

With these breeds some trouble with breathing is a regular occurrence.

Can’t avoid it.

That’s why if you have a bully, there will always tend to be some snuffling, snorting, sneezing, and that ever-weird “reverse sneezing”.

You can figure out what it is, can’t you?

You’re bound to have heard it a few times…

It’s when the dog takes in air rapidly instead of expelling it as in a sneeze, making a rapid choking or honking sound.

These issues are a matter of course for these dogs, since their relatively compressed airways tend to cause the some breathing trouble every now and then.

However if it’s an all too frequent occurrence – you had best get a thorough check-up with the vet so you may make things easier for your beloved pup.

6. Infections, Including Sinusitis

Last but in no way the least, non-stop sneezing may well be caused by an infection of the nasal cavity or sinuses of your dog.

We’re all aware that sneezing is most well known as a symptom of respiratory infections like coughs and colds.

But yet another kind of infection that may cause sneezing symptoms is a tooth abscess or other periodontal disease – whose infection could well spread to other areas and compound the problem.

You read that right…

Dental infections can lead to some serious complications – and that goes for people, too.

The discharge from the abscess often makes matter worse.

So when checking for sinusitis infections and other respiratory conditions, vets tend to check for tooth abscesses too.

Sinus Infection Symptoms and Diagnosis

Sinusitis can be caused by a range of things – viruses, bacteria that’s inhaled and got trapped in the mucus – or like we mentioned before, the spread of other infections – like an abscess.

Pretty straightforward isn’t it?

Essentially sinusitis is an inflammation of your dog’s sinuses, and can present itself through a variety of symptoms such as:

• Sneezing, of course
• Coughing or gagging
• Increased nasal discharge
• Breathing difficulties due to blockage and congestion
• Reverse sneezing
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling or other deformity of the face or snout

It’s important to diagnose sinusitis and determine its cause so as to know how best to treat your dog, as well as prevent the possibility of it spreading to other dogs.

That’s correct.

The answer to the question “is sinusitis contagious” is – yes. At least in case of viral infections.

Normally bacterial or fungal infections remain contained within the sick dog.

So correctly diagnosing viral sinusitis is crucial to avoid the disease spreading through contact with other dogs.

Acute Sinusitis Treatment

Now you know that your dog keeps sneezing due to sinusitis, getting it treated isn’t too complicated…

Now you know that your dog keeps sneezing due to sinusitis, getting it treated isn’t too complicated…

Giving sinusitis treatment at home on your own like you deal with your own odd flu episode is never advisable.

Why would you want to risk getting the medication wrong?

And worse, why chance on prolonging your puppy’s misery??

ALWAYS use prescribed dosages of medication for your puppy to ensure the best possible road to recovery!

Depending on your dog’s condition, your vet will likely advise some or all of the following:

• Quarantine in case of contagious infections to prevent a spread
• A prescribed course of anti-inflammatories and/or antibiotics depending on your dog’s condition
• Dietary recommendations to build up strength and immunity
• Measures to promote nasal drainage to speed-up recovery, like using a humidifier
• Apart from these, you can do your bit to ease things for your pup by making sure he or she stays hydrated.

Also, you will help a lot by wiping your pups nose with a soft damp cloth to see that it doesn’t get blocked and hinder breathing.

We hope this post helps you figure out why your dog keeps sneezing so much, and how to help him or her out in getting treated.

If you have any tips or suggestions related to the topic, or any more questions, do let us know in the comments section below!