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SBT dog constantly snorting?
I own an American Staffordshire Bull Terrier (cross I think), she's 2 years old and she's always snorting. She snorts when she inhales before barking, she snorts in her sleep (sometimes it's so loud I wake her because it sounds like she's having trouble breathing), she snorts while sitting upright, sometimes while eating and when sniffing around the floor. It pretty much sounds like she has something stuck in her nasal passages. I also have a shorter male English Staffy (crossed with a Norfolk Terrier) and he never snorts. I've never really heard a Staffy snorting before so I don't know if it's just a characteristic of their breed. I know there are dogs that are Brachycephalic and snort a lot but are staffies? Is it a problem or doesn't it affect her at all?
Here's a photo of her if it helps any: http://i43.tinypic.com/n3ofbp.jpg
@monster beats - She doesn't do as you've just described. She just literally snorts while she's breathing but it's only when she does certain things. She snorts most in her sleep, and when I give the "speak" command, she snorts loudly while inhaling before she barks. She also does this when trying to get my attention by barking (she does this when she needs to go out in the garden). I know it's linked to the soft palate though.
3 Answers
- Anonymous8 years agoFavorite Answer
What you probably witnessed is the condition in dogs known as reverse sneezing. It actually has nothing to do with sneezing, but is a spasm caused by an irritation of the soft palate. The soft palate is a soft, fleshy tissue extension off the hard palate, or roof of the mouth. Small dogs in particular can exhibit this behavior and certain breeds may be predisposed to it. It has sent many a distraught owner to the vet in panic.
Some animals can have this condition for their entire lives, or it may develop as the dog ages. During the spasm, the dog will usually turn her elbows outward and extend her neck while gasping inwards with a distinctive snorting sound. Gently massaging the throat area or pinching the dog’s nostrils shut so she must breath through her mouth can help shorten the episode. Sometimes taking the dog outside in the fresh air stops the spasm. Once the attack ceases, all goes back to normal.
(Another technique sometimes used to stop a bout of canine reverse sneezing: behavior specialist Sarah Wilson suggests trying to get the dog to swallow, touching the back of the tongue if that is safe.)
It is thought that the pharyngeal spasm can be caused by a number of irritants, including dust and pollen, or household chemicals. Moreover, some dogs can launch an episode after eating, drinking or running around, or while pulling on the leash.
If your dog experiences this behavior fairly frequently and the episodes are severe, a trip to the vet is in order to determine other possible causes, which can include viral infections, polyps, excessive soft palate tissue, and nasal mites. However, many cases of reverse sneezing appear to have no identifiable cause.
- Anonymous4 years ago
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Source(s): Natural Nasal Polyps Treatment http://nasalpolypsremedy.latis.info/?84BV