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Rhinitis in Dogs

Rhinitis in Dogs

Rhinitis

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
There are various causes of sneezing, nasal discharge, and/or rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages) in dogs. Some are mild and easy to treat while other causes can be more serious.
SEVERITY:
Severity is mild to severe
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Diagnosis requires evaluation by a veterinarian.
VERY COMMON IN
Dogs of any age, breed, or gender can experience sneezing, rhinitis, or nasal discharge; however, some causes are more likely based upon the dog’s age, breed, geographical region, travel history, and/or exposure to other dogs.

Symptoms & Signs

Occasional sneezing is normal in dogs, like humans. Sneezing may occur in paroxysms, several in a row. However, veterinary attention is warranted if a dog is exhibiting frequent or intense sneezing or repeated sneezing paroxysms throughout the day. zing causes by allergies is typically mild to moderate and and may be associated with nasal discharge that is bilateral (or coming out of both nares/nostrils). Allergic nasal discharge is typically clear. Dogs with allergies typically may have symptoms that begin at a certain season, unless their allergies stem from something they are exposed to all year round (eg, dust mites, food). Tree pollens are most abundant in the late spring and early summer, grass pollen is usually a mid-summer ordeal, while the weeds and other plants generally liberate their pollen in the fall. Some animals are allergic to things that are present year round (eg, dust mites) or inhaled, such as rug fibers or cigarette smoke. Dogs with allergies may have sneezing along with some watering and/or redness of the eyes; they may also experience itchiness, which we can observed as chewing on the feet and scratching various body parts. Signs should improve with treatment and/or when allergen load decreases, though will likely occur when the allergen returns. Sneezing causes by infection may range in severity and is typically associated with nasal discharge that is bilateral (or coming out of both nares/nostrils), Infectious nasal discharge may be pus-like (ie, thick and/or yellow to green) or blood tinged. They may sneeze or just have difficulty breathing due to the amount of nasal discharge. Some dogs will develop a fever, and may be lethargic, not want to eat and have trouble sleeping. Signs should resolve within weeks with appropriate treatment in most cases, though dependent on the underlying pathogen or infectious agent. Transmission is possible between dogs for infectious-related rhinitis. Transmissible viruses include parainfluenza, adenovirus, and canine influenza. Bordetella, a bacterial infection, is a less likely cause.Transmission between dogs and other species is less likely but dependent on the pathogen. Nasal mites are microscopic parasites that inhabit the nasal passages of dogs. Dogs with nasal mites may have fits of sneezing. Nasal mites cause a great deal of itching causing dogs to “reverse sneeze” when the mites are active. Bouts of sneezing can last for minutes at a time, can occur daily, or infrequently, depending on the movement of the nasal mites in the dog’s nose. Nasal mites can be spread between dogs. Foreign bodies, a term referring to an inanimate object that has gained access to the dog's body, can cause some horrendous sneezing fits in the dog. These foreign bodies refer to anything that can become lodged in the nasal passage of a dog, such as a grass seed, a stick, a bug or anything else that manages to get stuck in the nose. Dogs with foreign bodies in their nose exhibit violent sneezing that occurs suddenly. The irritation from the foreign body causes profound sneezing, and your dog may rub their nose on the ground or paw at their face. Nasal discharge associated with a nasal foreign body is unilateral or coming out of one nostril (one side of nose). Discharge may be pus-like or bloody. Pet parents may also notice that their pet has a sudden nosebleed, and it may be challenging to determine which side of the nose the blood is coming from. Hunting dogs or dogs that like to forage are often more prone to nasal foreign bodies. Dogs with nasal tumors also have unilateral nasal discharge, which may be pus-like or bloody; however, they usually have signs that progress more slowly, Often one sided nasal discharge or bleeding is noted initially, though some dogs may experience a sudden onset nosebleed. Pet parents may also notice that one nostril seems clogged, or that their pet is snoring all the time. Some pets will find the nasal tumor irritating and may paw at their nose. Older dogs are more prone to the development of nasal tumors.

Diagnosis

A veterinary evaluation is essential for diagnosis. The veterinarian may examine the nostrils, snout, eyes, and oral cavity closely. They may utilize a glass slide to visualize if one side of the nasal passages is obstructed. They may also feel for any asymmetry (differences) between the sides of the snout. They may also retro pulse (or press firmly but gently on the eyeballs) to feel for any asymmetry or discomfort behind the eyes. They may also listen closely to your pet’s lungs to see if there are any signs that the condition is involves to the lower airways (eg, trachea and lungs). If your veterinarian suspects allergies, treatment, such as anithistamines, may be prescribed to see if your pet responds. If your veterinarian believes an infection is causing the sneezing and nasal discharge, they may perform blood work and/or chest X-rays to look for other signs of infection. They may also swab the nasal passage to identify what type of infection is present. If an infected tooth is suspected, a dental cleaning, X-rays, and/or extraction may be recommended. Infections may be bacterial, viral, parasitic or fungal. In an otherwise healthy dog, a viral infection should improve with time and supportive care. Bacterial infections may warrant antibiotics. Nasal mites can be treated with anti-parasitic medications such as ivermectin. Antifungal agents are available to treat fungal infections; however, fungal infections are typically more complicated, require longer term treatment, and prognosis varies. In cases of foreign bodies, most dogs need to be sedated to safely look up their nose, which may allow your veterinarian to diagnose if a foreign body if the cause of the sneezing. A CT scan may be recommended for suspected foreign bodies that cannot be readily seen on examination. In some cases, foreign bodies may be removed using rhinoscopy. Pets need to be under anesthesia for this procedure. In older dogs, a CT scan and rhinoscopic biopsy may be recommended to confirm the diagnosis and extent of the mass. Other tests, such as check X-rays or CT of the chest, bloodwork, urinalysis, and/or abdominal ultrasound may be recommended to determine is there is cancer elsewhere in the body (eg, metastasis) and/or other concurrent health issues. Nasal tumors tend to be locally invasive but hard to treat surgically. Radiation and chemotherapy may be recommended.

Causation

Excessive sneezing in dogs may be caused by allergies, infections, foreign bodies, or tumors. They are all very different and have different treatments and prognoses.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
For occasional or allergic sneezing, adding a humidifier into the area where your dog sleeps will help moisten the nasal passages and may alleviate inflammation. To prevent transmission when an infectious cause is suspected or diagnosed, your dog should not interact with dogs outside the home. Isolation of the dog from other dogs within the household is not typically necessary.
icon MEDICATIONS
As directed by a veterinarian.
icon MEDICAL PROCEDURES
Depends upon the cause. Foreign bodies may be removed via rhinoscopy. For nasal tumors, radiation and chemotherapy may be options.
icon SPECIALISTS
Veterinary surgeons, internal medicine specialists and oncologists may be consulted for nasal tumors.

Cost Of Treatment

Costs will vary depending on the underlying cause.

Recovery

Dogs with allergies recover well, especially when the allergic stimulus quiets down. Dogs with infections generally make full recovery with proper treatment. Once a foreign body is removed, most dogs recover well after the object is gone. Dogs with nasal tumors have varied prognosis which depends on the cause of the growth and how extensive it is.

Monitoring

If your pet is continuing to sneeze after treatment or during treatment, contact your veterinarian.

Prevention

Not all cases of sneezing, nasal discharge, and/or rhinitis can be prevented. Avoidance of causative agents or environments where the agents exist along with vaccination (adenovirus, parainfluenza, canine influenza, and/or Bordetella) may prevent some cases.

Questions about Rhinitis

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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My puppy had parvo virus. If I bring a fully vaccinated dog here, can it infect the new dog? Is there still a risk?

If they new dog is a year old and you are completely sure that that it is 100 percent vaccinated there is a very minimal risk that it will be infected. However, that being said, vaccines are never 100 percent effective so there is always a 0.09 percent chance that the new dog could get the virus. But you should be safe bringing the new dog home. I would make sure that the home environment has been cleaned as thoroughly as possible (this means with bleach to all surfaces) and make sure that the outdoor surfaces have been cleaned as well. Parvo can live in the environment for an annoyingly long time (up to 6 months) so it wouldn't hurt to apply a safe mixture of bleach product to your yard as well. This is probably going completely overboard, but you know how scary parvo can be!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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Can I reapply flea treatment early? It’s been 2 weeks with no results.

A [flea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/fleas-life-cycle-anatomy-disease-transmission) infestation on your pet or in your home can be [difficult and frustrating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-are-fleas-so-hard-to-kill) to deal with. Yes, if after two weeks the [flea preventive you applied isn't working](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-reasons-your-flea-prevention-isnt-working), you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. This recommendation is unrelated to Petco or PetCoach. If you are seeing fleas on Mia now, you can give her Capstar ([Nitenpyram](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/nitenpyram)). It's a one time pill that starts killing adult fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to use with a topical treatment. Use a monthly preventive on all pets for at least 3 consecutive months to break the flea life cycle. Year round use is preferred. You will also have to [treat the environment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas). Wash all bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Use a spray, such as Indoorex or Knockout ES, in the house and to prevent reinfestation.

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.