My 10 yr old Papillon  has always suffered from reverse sneezing, usually when she gets overexcited, or going for a walk when it`s windy. Just lately though she seems to be doing it more frequently, and for no reason. Last night was the worst ever, lasted off and on for hours. Seemed better this morning so didn`t go to the vet.  Now she has just had another attack which lasted about 10 mins. A few yrs ago the vet suggested rubbing her throat may help, but it didn`t help last night.  Has anyone else got this problem?  If so would be grateful for ideas on how to stop it.
             Will probably go to vet tomorrow.

Get hold of her muzzle and gently tip her chin down as if trying to touch her chest with her chin. Hold there softly - dont force - until it stops.
This takes the tension out of the windpipe and gets normal breathing going again.

Thank you for advice. I will try doing that.

Lukewarm milk. It's actually caused by excess stomach acids that needs to be neutralised.

Thank you. I didn`t know that about excess  stomach acids.  Would cold milk be ok?   Just looked at your web site, lovely photos of Papillons .Presumably  you have the same problem with yours.  I believe it`s quite common in small dogs. 

My Dalmatian boy does this sometimes if he gets over-excited, and he is most definatly not small!! LOL :-)
Paula

My older lab had a period of weird snorting, kind of like backwards sneezing/coughing. I thought this was most likely to do with worms and since worming it hasn't returned. Never heard of this thing with small dogs, is it something to do with the short muzzles in some breeds?

With some reverse sneezing it is caused by the epiglottis at the back of their mouth being slightly to big so creates a vacum, with my boy i place my finger over his nostril so he opens his mouths and stops the vacum.

I was always taught it was the soft palate

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=2335

Don't use cold milk because feeding anything cold can also set it off. I can easily create an episode in my Papillons just by feeding them something I know will start it off, such as food straight from the fridge, treats that are dry (or dry complete food not soaked in warm water first), pieces of biscuit given to them by the kids also sets it off -in particular ginger biscuits. As long as I stick to what I know doesn't cause it, they hardly ever get any episodes, and the same was true for my Cavalier all the years I had him. My oldest Papillon had really bad daily episodes when he was fed on complete dry food, even when soaked, so I swapped him over to canned food and then it stopped. It was a vet I used to work for that said it was excess stomach acids and it definitely does work to give lukewarm or warm milk to stop an episode, and changing the diet can make a big difference. It's a bit like acid reflux in humans which of course can be caused by spicy foods for instance, whatever the person is sensitive to.

Our elder BH started to display this a couple of years ago, thank you for giving a name to it. Took him to the vet one evening as it would not stop and did not know how to assist, was told nothing to worry about as the surge of adrenalin from being at the 'vets' had stoped it. I was not given a name or diagnosis but now I know how to assist and what is the reason. Many thanks

I've never known a dog not do it occasionally. It's certainly more common in dogs than hiccups in humans, and invariably more shortlived and just as harmless.

None of my Malinois has ever done it, not even Ripley in ten years. :)

Yes now I know what it is but when I came across it the first time, found it unnerving especialy when I thought he was struggling to breath in extending his neck.

Just in case anyone is reading and doesn't have a clue what everyone is talking about, I have attached an example for anyone that may be curious.

There are plenty of other examples on youtube, but I chose this one to show that the muzzle doesn't have to be short for it to happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXDledRQ7y4

Its often called 'Goose honking' and is thought to be overlong soft palate which goes into spasm - hence the bending neck down onto chest releases the pressure and tension.

I only have one who does it and then only when ready for a walk and excitment is high. At no other time of the day does he ever do it.

The first time he did it aged four and the only thing I could think of was the stress of moving or new carpets. I thought he was gasping to get breath. Again many thanks, always amazed what is on youutube!

i have a bernese that does it when we are getting ready to leave the house for a walk :)

>None of my Malinois has ever done it, not even Ripley in ten years.

Every single one of our dogs (mine and husband's) since we can remember has done it occasionally. These dogs have all been roughly labrador/dalmatian sized and shaped, whether pure breeds or mongrels. It usually happens when they're eating too fast.

Typical example.

The Boston on youtube sounds most like my boy...you can feel his trachea vibrating when he starts.

MarianneB.  Very interested to hear that dry complete food and treats can set it off. My Papillon is fed on dry food and treats, so I will change to canned food and hope that does the trick. Thanks again for advice.

Our Boston also gets attacks but seems mostly when she pulls on the lead,we now have a Harness for her and thankfully her attacks have almost disapeared, I have found that if your dog does start the reverse sneezing i would try putting your finger across your dogs nostrils thus blocking air intake through the nose they then have to gulp air through their mouth this releases the hookover in the soft palette.Debby

Polly - is it happening so often as to have an impact on their quality of life? If not, I wouldn't be meddling around with food that otherwise suits your dog. I think it's just one of those things that all dogs will have at some point. I have 6 dogs and, pretty much on a daily basis, one of them will have an attack of the "sneezles" as we call it. It's normally scoffing their food too fast :)
Sometimes I think we are guilty of trying to find a "cause" for something which just "is".

>one of them will have an attack of the "sneezles" as we call it.

We call it the 'wheezles'! :-D

Colliecrew. Thanks for reply.    No it doesn`t seem to affect quality of life. The reason I was worried the other evening was the length of time it went on for. Off and on for hours,  even in the middle of the night she had an attack.   It wasn`t just the sneezing but also the back of her throat sounded full of mucous which she seemed to be trying to cough up. Anyway since then she is better and back to having one or two episodes a day, which last for a few minutes.  

That sounds more like Kennel Cough, when one of mine had it was exactly same.

This is a brilliant clip of reverse sneezing (although it doesn't show how the stomach can be sucked in and the ribs expand) - what we call "the wheezles", and is nothing to worry about. This is kennel cough - they often retch at the end of a bout of it.

mine definatly had kennel cough and did not retch at all, although my moms RR did,i guess every dog is different.
I also have one who does it all the time and his is because his epiglottis is to long and can seal off the windpipe so i place my fingers over his nostrils to relax the suction.