Bonnie came to visit us over the summer, happily playing outside in the garden one minute, and then, quite suddenly, she started sneezing. Sneezing can be a normal behaviour, it is our bodies way of protecting it’s airways by removing anything that may be irritating our nose. Occasional sneezing can be absolutely fine, however in Bonnie’s case her sneezing continued and wasn’t stopping. Bonnie’s parents brought her down to the clinic that evening. Her clinical exam was relatively normal, except for her violent sneezing fits which at that level raised some concern.

It is not unusual at this time of year for dogs to be affected by grass seeds – be it constantly shaking their head because of an irritated ear or an excessively licking their foot because it’s sore. However, these pesky seeds have also been known to make their way up a dog’s nose when sniffing and snuffling around in long grass on walks. This was one of the differentials we had in mind for the reason behind Bonnie’s sneezing.

Why could my dog be sneezing?

  • A bacterial or viral infection
  • A fungal infection
  • Foreign material stuck up the nose
  • Allergies
  • A growth (cyst, tumour or polyp) inside the nose

A discussion was had with Bonnie’s owners regarding her treatment options – Bonnie had already eaten her dinner that evening, so it was opted to admit Bonnie the following day to investigate the reason behind her sneezing.

Why does my pet need to be starved before an anaesthetic?

The reason animals, and humans, should be starved before an anaesthetic is to try and reduce the risk of vomiting and regurgitation. Anaesthesia and sedation can cause our bodies to relax, which in turn also relaxes our stomach muscles, which are keeping food inside the stomach. This can cause the regurgitation of food contents whilst a patient is unconscious risking them inhaling these contents into their lungs.

Bonnie was admitted by one of the nursing team the following day and her pre-op checks were completed. This involves listening to your pet’s heart, assessing their breathing rate, gum colour, refill time and weight. We anaesthetised Bonnie expecting to see an obvious grass seed up one of her nostrils on examination, following this the back of her throat was also examined, but again nothing abnormal was visualised.

Charlotte proceeded to rhinoscopy – this is a procedure whereby the nasal passages can be fully examined with a thin tube that has a small camera and light at the end. This type of advanced equipment allows us to be able to take biopsies and remove foreign material in those hard to reach places!

What does the investment in advanced equipment mean for my pet?

Veterinary medicine continues to develop and advance, and we believe our patients deserve access to the best diagnostic tools we can reasonably provide.

Bringing this equipment into our practice means that, for suitable cases, investigations can potentially be carried out closer to home, rather than requiring referral elsewhere for every investigation. Most importantly, it gives our vets another valuable tool when caring for pets with complicated problems. Because to us, your pet isn’t simply a number on a consult list.

They’re the dog who greets you at the door, the cat who sleeps on your bed, the companion who’s been beside your family for years. When they’re unwell or they’re simply not themselves, we know how frightening that can be.

Our investment in new equipment is ultimately an investment in better care for the animals who mean so much to you.

Check out our YouTube channel to see us removing a grass seed from Bonnie’s nose!

 

Bonnie was discharged the same evening with a short course of anti-inflammatories to help with any discomfort and swelling of her nose. Although we imagine she was feeling loads better without a grass seed tickling her up her nose! Her sneezing continued for a couple of days afterwards, there was no bleeding or discharge seen, both which soon settled down.

Bonnie has recovered amazing and is back to being a cheeky Labrador, exploring the sights and sounds the world has to offer a young pup. Fingers crossed this is the first, and last, run in Bonnie has with grass seeds during the summer.