Snoring dog: what can it be?

Content

• my dog ​​snores when he sleeps
• Dog snoring while breathing
• brachycephalic dog snoring
• Snoring dog: care

Have you ever noticed that your dog snores very loudly and wonder if this is normal? He has recently started snoring and you want to know if you should go to the vet? In this article by PeritoAnimal, about growling dog: what can it be? You will learn to differentiate when a snoring can be completely normal, or on the contrary, it is indicating that the dog is suffering from some illness.

These cases are usually more frequent in brachycephalic dogs, with an anatomy that makes them more prone to snoring. We will also explain what measures you can take to help these dogs breathe.

my dog ​​snores when he sleeps

Before explaining the causes of snoring dogs, we should make it clear that sometimes when the dog is sleeping it can adopt positions in which your nose gets pinched and then, by hindering the passage of air, snoring is produced. This situation is not worrying.

When changing the dog's position, it is common for the snoring to stop immediately. On the other hand, if you have a dog snoring awake it may be due to the causes we will mention below. Lastly, if your dog snores when he is petted, this is not an illness either, as it is a sound he makes in relaxation.

Dog snoring while breathing

First, let's see why a dog snores if he's not brachycephalic. Snoring is produced by an obstruction in the airflow, and among the most common causes are the following:

• foreign bodies: sometimes, small objects enter the dog's nasal cavity and can partially or completely obstruct the air passage, causing snoring. We are talking about thorns, plant fragments, and in general any object the right size to enter the nasal passages. At first, the dog will sneeze to try to expel you and will rub itself with its paws. When the foreign body remains in the nose, it can lead to an infection. In these cases, you will see a thick discharge coming out of the affected nasal cavity. Unless you can see the object, to try to remove it with tweezers, you should go to the vet so he can find and remove it.
• Airway problems: nasal secretions can also obstruct the nose, to a greater or lesser degree, which makes breathing difficult and causes snoring to appear. This secretion can be more or less thick, and have different colors. Behind this may be rhinitis, allergy, infection, etc. The dog will have other symptoms such as nausea, eye discharge, coughing and sneezing, depending on the disease he has. The veterinarian will be responsible for diagnosis and treatment.
• nasal polyps: these are growths that depart from the nasal mucosa, with an appearance similar to that of a cherry with a handle, which is the base of the polyp. In addition to obstructing the air passage, which is what causes snoring, it can cause bleeding. It is possible to eliminate them with surgery, but it is important to know that they can reoccur.
• nasal tumors: especially in older puppies and breeds such as the Airedale Trier, the Basset Hound, the Bobtail and the German Shepherd, nasal cavity tumors can occur. It is common for the affected fossa to shed secretions or blood. If they affect the eye, they can protrude. The treatment of choice is surgery, although malignant tumors are usually very advanced and it may only be possible to prolong life expectancy, not cure, through surgery and radiotherapy.

As we've seen in all these situations, what happens if the dog snores is that it's not able to breathe. You should visit a trusted veterinarian.

brachycephalic dog snoring

Although the circumstances we have already mentioned in the previous title can also affect brachycephalic dogs, the reason why these dogs snore could be due to this syndrome.

Breeds such as Pug, Pekingese, Chow Chow and, in general, any dog ​​with a wide skull and short snout, due to its own anatomy, normally present obstructions in the airways, which will produce snoring, sighing, snorting, etc., which worse with heat, exercise, and age.

At brachycephalic dog syndrome the following malformations usually occur:

• nasal stenosis: this is a congenital problem. The openings in the nose are small and the nasal cartilage is so flexible that, when inhaling, it obstructs the nasal passages. The dog snores, breathes through its mouth, and sometimes has a runny nose. This problem can be solved with surgery to enlarge the openings, but this is not always necessary, as in some dogs the cartilage can harden before six months of age. Therefore, it is expected to reach that age to intervene, except in an emergency.
• Soft palate stretching: this palate is a mucosal flap that closes the nasopharynx during swallowing. When it is stretched, it partially obstructs the airways, producing snoring, nausea, vomiting, etc. Over time, it can cause laryngeal collapse. It is shortened through a surgery that must be performed before the larynx is damaged. It's congenital.
• Eversion of laryngeal ventricles: they are small mucous bags inside the larynx. When there is prolonged respiratory obstruction, these ventricles enlarge and rotate, increasing the obstruction. The solution is to remove them.

Snoring dog: care

Now that you know the causes of snoring dogs, some of the steps you can take if your dog has breathing difficulties:

• Clean the nasal passages daily, cleaning can be done with serum;
• Use breastplate and not collar;
• Avoid exposing the dog to high temperatures;
• Walking in shady areas;
• Always carry a bottle of water to refresh the dog;
• Control food and water to avoid choking. This can be done by offering small rations, raising food pots, etc;
• Avoid obesity;
• Do not provide moments of stress or excitement, nor allow intense exercise.

Read too: Dog with Cough - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

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.