Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

discharge, it’s a serious condition and you should consult your veterinarian.
Some dogs will sneeze if your house has a new carpet or new cleaning agents
are used. Perfumes, cigarette smoke, hairspray, and even scented candles may
cause your dog to sneeze.
Sneezing with a watery nasal discharge and rubbing the face with the paws
is typical of canine atopy (see page 138). A sudden bout of violent sneezing,
along with head shaking and pawing at the nose, suggests a foreign body in
the nose. Nosebleeds can occur after particularly violent bouts of sneezing.
Prolonged sneezing causes swelling and congestion of the nasal membranes.
The result is a sniffling or noisy character to the dog’s breathing.
MOUTH BREATHING
Dogs are nose breathers and usually do not breathe through their mouths
except when panting. Mouth breathing indicates that both nasal air passages
are blocked. In these dogs, no air is moving through the nose—only through
the mouth. This may not be obvious until the dog becomes excited or begins
to exercise.
The Nose
STENOTIC NARES (COLLAPSED NOSTRILS)
THE NOSE • 223
Collapsed nostrils occur in puppies of the brachycephalic breeds, including
Pugs, Pekingnese, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzu, and others. In these
puppies, the nasal cartilages are soft and floppy, so that as the puppy breathes
in the nostrils come together and obstruct the nasal openings. This causes
various degrees of respiratory obstruction, which can seriously compromise
the puppy’s health and development.
Collapsed nostrils are a congenital problem often accompanied by other
manifestations of the brachycephalic syndrome described on page 313.
Collapsed nostrils is a
common problem in
short-nosed breeds, such
as these Pugs. These dogs
snort, sniffle, and have a
foamy nasal discharge.