Should I be worried about the "reverse sneeze"?

As everyone else has mentioned, this is a fairly normal behavior and not generally dangerous, but it also may be a symptom of another issue. A friend learned their small dog has a poultry allergy this way. The sneezes themselves weren't dangerous, but they were a symptom of another problem. If you're concerned, it wouldn't hurt to ask your vet. Let them know when your dog is likely to reverse sneeze and with what frequency.

Flat faced dogs reverse sneeze a lot, and it's one of the top reasons people rush their dog to the emergency vet when in fact, it's not an emergency. If it persists more than usual, I would call your vet but if she occasionally does it after eating, or drinking I would just keep an eye on it.

I'm a Boston Terrier owner and am very familiar with this :)

Small dogs and dogs with flat faces often have breathing issues. My chihuahua frequently does the "reverse sneeze". Basically what happens in that case is his trachea collapses and it becomes difficult to breathe momentarily. Flat faced dogs have similar issues because of the shape of their snout. My vet told me to just keep him calm until the episode ends, to be mindful of how tight his collar is around his throat, and to stick to a harness when out walking to avoid the collar yanking at his neck.

My Boston Terriers will sometimes have reverse sneezing episodes. Brachiocephalic (flat-faced) dogs are more prone to it than other breeds. Try pinching your nose slightly and taking in a breath through your nose. The space is so small that the nostrils cave in. This is what happens with reverse sneezing. To help my BTs, we cover their nostrils until they take a breath through their mouth. As long as it resolves itself within a few minutes, they're okay.

Probably nothing to worry about. Could be allergies or excitement. My Papillon (not flat nose) used to get them. Ask your vet on next visit, but probably not anything to be concerned about.

Hi Jessica,

Everything I've ever seen and read usually indicates that this is common and non-emergent concern.

Though I've seen a dog who did this one time, not regularly, where it was an emergency. Found they in fact had something in their nose (a foxtail!). So it could be an indicator of larger problems, but in most cases I'd imagine it is normal doggy behavior.

Note: I'm not a vet, so ask you're vet if you have any concerns.