Why is mycavoodle reverse sneezing and how do I stop it?

The first time you see your cavoodle reverse sneeze, it's quite confronting and is one of those scary moments where your heart drops and you go oh my god what's happening to my dog?

If you’ve never seen your cavoodle reverse sneeze before it sounds and looks like they are gagging or snorting and resembles a spasm like episode that can sometimes go on for about 5 to 30 seconds.

If you’ve never heard and seen it before, here’s a video we caught of Bambi doing it:

 

So what is a reverse sneeze exactly? 

A reverse sneeze is a respiratory event that's semi-voluntary behaviour caused by irritation or inflammation of the nasal/ sinus passages and is a way for cavoodles to remove particles from their upper airways. 

What causes a cavoodle to reverse sneeze?

There are a number of things that can cause a cavoodle to reverse sneeze including pollen, dust, allergies, reduced airspace, nasal mites and can also occur when they get really over excited. 

Does it hurt them?

Reverse sneezing isn’t painful but some cavoodles can become anxious or uncomfortable if it lasts for too long, but they are usually perfectly fine before and after a reverse sneezing event. 

It's common that if your cavoodle does reverse sneeze they will likely do it again in the future, but if it occurs on a daily basis then it's a problem and you will need to speak to your vet about it. 

What should I do if my cavoodle sneezes and how do I stop it?

Some common ways to stop your cavoodle reverse sneezing is to pinch or hold their nostrils closed for a second and calmly massage their throat. Other ways include blowing lightly in their face, verbally calm them down, call out their name or distract them with a toy or treat.