Dog Sneezing and Nosebleed with Mucus
by Lynn
(Birmingham, UK)
Reader Question: Help for a dog that is sneezing with mucus.
My dog has been sneezing and produced a lot of mucus. He has had antibiotics, antihistamines, a nasal flush and x-rays and is now on steroids. He has had a nosebleed today and has had brown vomit. The nosebleed is not heavy but when he drinks it is dripping into his water and does not seem to be stopping completely.
If this is fungal shouldn't he have been prescribed with anti-fungals?
Suggestions from our VeterinarianYour dog has probably been suffering from an upper respiratory problem; and the treatment done so far represents what would be done for some sort of allergy or bacterial infection.
Extensive sneezing, especially due to an allergen causes severe irritation in the nasal cavity. Intense sneezing may cause a rupture of the capillaries, thus causing a nosebleed and in this case, it is also followed with brown vomit. Brown vomit usually shows signs of prolonged bleeding in nasal pathways, which is swallowed in the digestive tract. This is old, congested blood which your dog is emitting.
Also, your dog is still on steroids. Steroids can cause nasal bleeding, especially when epithelial layers soften due to sneezing and mucus.
I would recommend that you discuss with a vet the possibility of stopping the steroids for a while in order to help your dog heal any ruptured capillaries in the nasal lining. Small amounts of blood and brown vomit might not be a serious problem for now but if it continues, other complications such as anemia and dehydration (due to vomiting) may occur.
Once the sneezing and mucus discharge problem is resolved the problem it will confirm the presence of a bacterial problem or allergen, indicating that it is not a fungal infection issue.