Ah-choo! Omgekeerd niezen bij honden

We niezen allemaal van tijd tot tijd wanneer stof, huidschilfers of andere irriterende stoffen onze neus en keel kietelen. Het blijkt dat honden ook niezen om veel van dezelfde redenen. Een meer arresterende reactie is echter het omgekeerde niezen: de reflex waardoor honden snel lucht in hun lichaam trekken om irriterende stoffen uit het gebied achter hun neusgaten te verwijderen. Veel eigenaren verwarren deze luide, piepende episodes voor astma-aanvallen, die paniek en noodreizen naar de dierenarts veroorzaken. In werkelijkheid zijn de verrassende geluiden echter een relatief normaal onderdeel van het leven voor sommige honden, net als niezen voor mensen. Uw hondgenoot kan er angstig uitzien wanneer het omgekeerde niest toeslaat, maar in werkelijkheid is het onschadelijk gedrag bij de meeste honden en laat het geen blijvende nadelige gevolgen achter.
 
Reverse sneezing typically occurs when something irritates a dog’s soft palate (the fleshy bit at the back of the roof of his mouth) or throat. Whereas air is forced out through the nose in a regular sneeze, air is pulled rapidly in through the nose during a reverse sneeze. This causes a dog to make a loud snorting or gasping sound as he extends his neck and gulps in air.  It is a disturbing display, but veterinarians agree that reverse sneezing is actually fairly common in dogs. Smalls dogs are more prone to it due to their smaller air passageways, as are breeds such as pugs and bulldogs with elongated soft palates. Episodes can last anywhere between a few seconds up to a few minutes and may appear in dogs at any stage of life. Whether it’s allergies or mites, treating the underlying cause is the best way to prevent reverse sneezing. Some dogs simply have an attack when they’re excited, while other may reverse sneeze due to perfumes or household chemicals; exercise intolerance; pulling on a leash; or even eating and drinking. If an episode doesn’t end quickly, you can try helping your wheezing companion in several ways. Gently massage his throat to stop the spasm; cover his nostrils to make him swallow and clear the irritant from his throat; or press his tongue down to aid breathing. Different techniques work for different pets, so you will have to experiment gently to find out the best way to help your pooch.
 
Reverse sneezing doesn’t usually require treatment, but if it becomes a chronic problem, you should seek your veterinarian’s advice. As a general rule, if your dog is reverse sneezing more often than the average human sneezes, you should seek help. If allergies are the root of the problem, for example, your vet may prescribe antihistamines. He can also rule out other causes such as respiratory tract infections or foreign bodies that could be blocking your dog’s airway. Asthma, on the other hand, is vastly less common in dogs and is typically accompanied by a chronic cough. Though rare, dogs with asthma likely struggle more with exercising and fatigue and the condition is almost always caused by an allergic reaction to something in the environment.