Sneezing

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Every pet owner notices their pet sneeze every now and then, but when is sneezing a medical concern? Sneezing often over a prolonged period of time and consistent sneezing or a sneeze attack may indicate some sort of health issue. Medical conditions that cause sneezing in pets include bacterial infections, chlamydia, feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, peritonitis, infections of the upper respiratory system, herpesvirus, and calcivirus. A pet can contract any of these illnesses through direct contact with an infected pet. Conditions affecting the respiratory organs are highly common in shelters or kennel facilities.

Moreover, sneezing accompanied by secondary symptoms is an indication of a more severe problem. Secondary symptoms, such as diarrhea, breathing difficulties, dull hair coat, coughing, wheezing, lymph node enlargement, weight loss, drooling, fever, fatigue, nasal discharge, or eye ulcerations, are all indications of health problems requiring veterinary attention. The veterinarian will perform different forms of diagnostics to pinpoint the underlying condition. They will likely do a nasal swab to help determine the cause, and treatment will look to resolve the underlying cause of the sneezing.