Why is my old dog sneezing so much? Causes and when to worry

Most dog sneezing is harmless: a noseful of dust, excitement during play, or a mild bug that passes in a few days. In an older dog, sneezing that is new, keeps going for more than a few days, comes mostly from one nostril, or arrives with discharge or a nosebleed is different. It can point to a bad tooth root, something lodged in the nose, an infection or a growth, and it should be checked by a vet.

The sneeze itself tells you little. What comes with it, how long it has lasted and which side it comes from tell you much more.

Why do dogs sneeze?

A sneeze is a reflex that clears the nose. Anything that tickles or inflames the lining can set it off, from pollen to a tumor. Dogs also sneeze as a social signal: many do it when they are excited or playing, and those sneezes are short, dry and stop when the game does.

An occasional sneeze, or a short burst after sniffing through long grass or a dusty corner, is normal at any age.

Why is my dog sneezing so much? Causes from common to serious

Irritants in the air

Dust, smoke, perfume, air fresheners, scented candles, cleaning sprays, carpet powders and pollen can all irritate a dog's nose. The pattern is usually sneezing that starts in one room or after one activity, with a clear watery drip at most, in a dog that is otherwise well.

Something stuck in the nose

Grass seeds, foxtails, splinters of stick and bits of food can lodge in a nostril. The typical picture is sudden, violent, repeated sneezing that starts on a walk, with pawing at the face, rubbing the nose on the ground and sometimes a little blood from one side. This needs a vet the same day. Seeds can travel deeper, and they often do not come out on their own.

Infections

The respiratory infections that spread between dogs at kennels, groomers and parks can cause sneezing, a runny nose and a cough. Many are mild. Older dogs, and dogs with heart or lung disease, have less in reserve and are more likely to develop a chest infection on top.

Fungal infection of the nose is less common and tends to affect dogs with longer noses. It can cause thick discharge, nosebleeds, a sore nose and loss of color around the nostril.

Nasal mites

Nasal mites are tiny parasites that live in the nose and sinuses and pass from dog to dog. They can cause sneezing, bouts of reverse sneezing, a runny nose, nosebleeds and face rubbing. They are hard to see, so vets sometimes treat for them on suspicion with a prescription parasite medicine.

Allergies

Allergies in dogs usually show up as itchy skin, paws and ears more than as hay fever. Seasonal sneezing with a clear discharge does happen, but in an old dog that has never had it before, the vet will want to rule out other causes first.

A tooth-root abscess

The roots of the upper teeth sit just under the floor of the nose. In older dogs with dental disease, infection around a root can break through into the nasal passage. The result is sneezing and a smelly discharge from one nostril, sometimes with swelling under the eye, bad breath or chewing on one side.

This is a common reason for persistent one-sided sneezing in a senior dog, and it can usually be treated. See our guide to dental care for senior pets and the page on bad breath in old dogs.

Long-term inflammation of the nose

Some dogs develop chronic rhinitis: an inflamed nasal lining with no infection or growth behind it. It causes ongoing sneezing and discharge, often from both sides, and can only be told apart from the other causes by imaging and biopsy.

A nasal tumor

Growths inside the nose are mostly a disease of older dogs, and are reported more often in breeds with long noses. Early on they can look like a stubborn infection: sneezing and discharge from one nostril that improves a little on treatment and then returns.

Later signs can include nosebleeds, discharge from both sides, noisy breathing, a watery or bulging eye and a change in the shape of the face. None of these confirms a tumor, but each is a reason for a prompt visit. Our overview of cancer in senior dogs explains how vets investigate and what the options are.

Is it a sneeze or a reverse sneeze?

A reverse sneeze is a sudden burst of loud, snorting breaths in through the nose, with the neck stretched out and the elbows wide. It looks alarming and usually stops within a minute, with the dog normal before and after. Occasional episodes are common and usually harmless, especially in small and flat-faced dogs.

Episodes that are new in an old dog, or that are becoming frequent, are worth mentioning to the vet, along with any change in snoring or noisy breathing. A video helps a great deal.

My dog is sneezing and coughing

Sneezing with a cough most often means a respiratory infection, particularly after contact with other dogs. Keep your dog away from other dogs and phone the vet for advice.

In a senior dog a cough has a longer list of causes, including heart disease, a collapsing windpipe and lung disease, and these can be present alongside a simple cold. Our page on coughing in older dogs goes through them. A cough with fast or labored breathing, blue or pale gums, or collapse is an emergency.

Should I be worried if my dog is sneezing?

Not if it is a few sneezes during play or after sniffing, or a clear drip for a day or two in a dog that is bright and eating. Worry more as these appear: sneezing that lasts beyond a few days, discharge that is thick, colored or smelly, signs from one nostril only, and any blood. The more of these you see, and the older the dog, the sooner the visit should be.

What you can check at home

• Which side. Watch for a wet nostril or a drip, and note whether it is the left, the right or both.
• What the discharge looks like. Clear and watery, cloudy, yellow or green, or bloody.
• When it happens. After walks, in one room, after cleaning, while eating, at night.
• The face. Compare the two sides for swelling over the nose or under an eye. Look for a weepy eye.
• The mouth, if your dog allows it. Red gums, a broken tooth, heavy tartar or a bad smell.

Take a short video of an episode. Do not put anything up the nose or try to pull out something you can see: noses bleed heavily and objects break off.

Call the vet today if

• There is blood from the nose, or blood in the discharge
• The sneezing started suddenly and is violent or non-stop, or your dog is pawing at its nose
• The discharge is thick, colored or foul-smelling, or comes from one nostril
• The face, the bridge of the nose or the area under an eye looks swollen
• Breathing is noisy, labored or open-mouthed at rest
• Your dog is also coughing, off its food, feverish or unusually quiet
• The sneezing has gone on for more than a few days, or keeps coming back

A nosebleed that will not stop, struggling to breathe, or pale or blue gums means an emergency clinic now.

What the vet will do

The visit starts with your account of the pattern and a physical exam: airflow through each nostril, the face and eyes, the chest and as much of the mouth as your dog allows. For a nosebleed the vet may check blood pressure and clotting.

The inside of the nose cannot be examined in an awake dog. If the sneezing persists, the next step is usually a general anesthetic for dental X-rays, imaging of the nose (often a CT scan), a look with a small camera, and samples for the lab. For a senior dog the vet will normally run blood tests first to plan the anesthetic safely.

Dog sneezing treatment

Treatment follows the cause, so there is no single answer:

• Irritants: remove them. Stop the sprays and scented products, air the room and vacuum when the dog is elsewhere.
• Foreign body: removal under sedation or anesthetic.
• Infections and mites: prescription medicines chosen by the vet, when they are needed at all.
• Tooth-root abscess: dental treatment, usually removal of the tooth.
• Chronic rhinitis: long-term management to keep the signs down.
• Nasal tumor: options, often including radiation, discussed with the vet or a specialist. Some families choose comfort care only.

Do not give human cold, flu or allergy medicines. Many contain decongestants or painkillers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen that are dangerous to dogs, and some liquids contain xylitol. An antihistamine should only be given if your vet has confirmed the exact product and the amount for your dog.

Living with a sneezy old dog

Where the cause is long term, small changes help. Keep the air free of smoke and scent. Wipe discharge away gently with a damp cloth so the nostrils do not crust. Warm the food a little if your dog's sense of smell is dulled, and keep a note of how often the sneezing happens so you can tell the vet whether it is changing.

The senior dog guide lists the other changes worth tracking as your dog ages.

This page is general educational information, not veterinary advice, and a list of possible causes cannot tell you why your own dog is sneezing. Persistent, one-sided or bloody sneezing in an older dog needs an examination. Decisions about tests and treatment should be made with your veterinarian.