Dog with a stuffy nose: causes and treatments

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 11 February 2021
Update Date: 12 November 2024
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My Dog’s Nasty Nose Infection
Video: My Dog’s Nasty Nose Infection

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Canine sneezing and nasal discharge can be less common and more worrisome than in humans. In the case of animals, both sneezing and secretions are considered more serious symptoms that should be diagnosed by a veterinarian when they spend more than a day like this. If you noticed your dog sniffling its nose or making a strange noise, it could be a sign of nasal obstruction.

To clarify the main doubts before the veterinary consultation, we dedicate this article by PeritoAnimal to the theme dog with a stuffy nose, its causes, symptoms and treatments. We hope your reading will be useful and we wish your friend quick improvements!

My dog ​​is making a strange noise through his nose

Before understanding the causes and treatments for a sniffling dog or a stuffy nose, it is important to be aware that a dog that breathes with snoring does not always have a stuffy nose. If he breathes snoring while sleeping, for example, it may have to do with his position, which makes his nose compressed and makes it difficult for air to pass at that time. In cases like this, if that snoring stops when you change position, there's nothing to worry about.


Now, if you ever notice the dog sniffing his nose, there are some possible causes and their treatments. We explain below.

dog with a stuffy nose

The mucosa of the nasal region is super irrigated and works as a barrier to protect the region against the entry of bacteria and agents that cause irritation that can reach the throat and cause coughing, for example. Due to this high irrigation, the nasal cavity is super sensitive and can bleed easily

The nasal secretion that leaves the sniffling dog the one with a stuffy nose is always a sign of some disease or irritant. Each case needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian or veterinarian as the symptom may be the result of something more serious. Canine rhinitis, for example, can be a reflection of a common allergy or a tumor or infection in the mouth. Only a professional evaluation can safely and effectively diagnose a stuffy nose dog.


Some of the possible causes and symptoms of a dog sniffling or phlegm in the nose are:

rhinitis

It accompanies sneezing, the secretion is persistent and smelly and can cause nausea and choking.

foreign bodies

Plants, thorns and small objects trapped in the dog's nasal cavity can block the air passage and lead to an infection. In these cases, it is common to see the dog making a pig noise, as if it were snoring, in addition to attempts to expel the foreign object by sneezing or rubbing the paws over the nose. A thick discharge may also be seen. Attempting to remove the object with tweezers can only happen if it is possible to see it, otherwise it is essential to ask for professional help.

Airway Problems

In addition to rhinitis, there are many other possibilities for airway problems that leave a dog with a stuffy nose. It can be another allergy, infections, among other pathologies whose symptoms appear in a dog with phlegm in the nose with the secretion in different colors, eye secretions (dog with secretion in the nose and eyes) and cough.


flu and colds

Among the different symptoms of flu and colds, we can notice a discomfort in the dog's nose when he rubs his nose frequently, sniffles or has a discharge. In addition to the basic care of feeding and heat in the treatments for canine flu and cold, a vaporization or washing can be done to relieve the nasal passages of the dog with a stuffy nose, we will explain shortly.

nasal polyps

the presence of a spongy meat in the dog's nose it can be a sign of nasal polyps, which are growths in the nasal mucosa that obstruct the air passage, the dog breathes snoring and this can leave the dog with a stuffy nose and bleeding. Some cases are usually treated with surgery, but nasal polyps can reappear.

nasal tumors

Tumors in the nasal cavity can appear in older puppies and more frequently in some specific breeds such as Airedale Trier, Basset Hound, Bobtail and German Shepherd. The most common symptoms are snoring and bleeding or discharge. Veterinary assessment is essential and treatment may involve surgical intervention and/or radiotherapy.

Brachycephalic breeds with stuffy nose

In addition to the aforementioned causes, brachycephalic dogs due to their anatomy have nasal obstructions due to this characteristic that generates snoring, sighing and snorting and causing the impression that the dog has a stuffy nose. Such symptoms can worsen with advancing age and heat. Brachycephalic dog syndrome can also involve the following malformations:

  • Nasal Steonosis: it is a congenital problem in which the cartilage in the nose obstructs the nasal passages. It is usually resolved with a surgical intervention;
  • Elongation of the soft palate: this malformation can cause a laryngeal collapse and must be shortened through surgery;
  • Eversion of laryngeal ventricles: it is due to the enlargement of the laryngeal ventricles that generates a respiratory obstruction. The veterinary solution consists of removing the laryngeal ventricles.

How to unclog a dog's nose

Aware of the causes mentioned above, we saw that a dog sniffing its nose is not always just a sign of a cold or allergy. Anyway, the treatment never involves just unclogging the dog's nose, but a series of cares that will depend on the diagnosis. Nasal polyps and tumors, for example, cannot be resolved with nasal decongestant for dogs, in cases of colds and allergies, the tutor can unclog the dog's nose to relieve the animal's discomfort, accompanied by other necessary care.

Warm water wash

A simple procedure to alleviate this symptom in colds and flu is to wash the dog's nose with warm water very gently, dry it and apply a little olive oil.

Vaporization

Keeping the environment moist is also one of the home remedies to unclog a dog's nose with a cold. Vaporization can be done through vaporizers with mild essences such as eucalyptus or echinacea, if you are going to use another make sure it is not one of the poisonous plants for dogs. If you don't have a vaporizer, you can use the steam in the bathroom with medicinal plants. To avoid accidents, never leave the dog alone during the procedure.

Vick VapoRub is bad for dogs?

You must not use Vick VapoRub on your dog with a stuffy nose. Self-medication is completely contraindicated. If the smell of Vick VapoRub for humans is already super strong and even waters the eyes, in dogs, which have these more refined senses by nature, the concentration of eucalyptus and mental oils is very high and even toxic.

The smell of Vick Vaporub for dogs is extremely uncomfortable and can affect their olfactory structures in addition to the risk of licking and suffering serious poisoning.

Self-medication is not recommended. Is not difficult realize that a dog is sick. In addition to a stuffy nose, you can observe other symptoms mentioned in the video below and take it for veterinary analysis to find out the cause and have the most effective treatment possible:

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Dog with a stuffy nose: causes and treatments, we recommend that you enter our Respiratory Diseases section.