Something stuck in a dog's nose: symptoms and treatment

Overview

A nasal foreign body is external material lodged in a nasal passage or the nasopharynx. It can cause acute inflammation of the nasal lining, or rhinitis. Persistent symptoms can resemble other nasal diseases.

In a 42-dog case series published in 2020, 38 nasal foreign bodies, or 90.5%, were grass awns. Three of 42 dogs had mineral material. One had fabric lodged in the nose. A northern European case report also described a stone firmly lodged at the back of the nasal cavity.

Objects were removed from the right nasal cavity in 22 of 42 dogs, or 52.4%. The left cavity was affected in 18, or 42.9%. Both cavities contained objects in 2, or 4.8%.

Causes

Besides plant material, fabric or cotton wool can enter the nasal cavity. Fluff from a soft toy can also irritate it. Food fragments may enter the nasopharynx during hurried eating.

A sharp seed part can enter the body through the nose. Dry, hardened grass seed heads are particularly troublesome. Their shape encourages movement into tissues. Once embedded, a seed cannot reverse along the same route.

Irritation from the object can trigger nasal inflammation. The inflamed lining becomes red and swollen. Swelling and discharge can narrow the nasal passages. Sneezing is the dog's attempt to remove secretions from the upper airways.

Secondary bacterial infection may turn initially watery discharge into mucus. As inflammatory cells accumulate, it can become pus-like.

Risk factors

Walking through long grass increases exposure to seeds that attach to the coat. Long hair makes it easier for sharp seeds to catch. Risk from dried seed heads is greater in summer. Cases also occur in other seasons in warm climates.

Median age in the 42 dogs mentioned above was 4.0 years. Thirty-two were no older than 7, accounting for 76.2% of the group. Thirty-three of 42, or 78.6%, weighed over 10 kg. Males accounted for 25, or 59.5%.

Pedigree dogs accounted for 30, or 71.4%, in the same group.

Typical symptoms

Possible signs of a nasal foreign body include:

• Repeated, forceful sneezing.

• Nasal discharge, sometimes more obvious on one side.

• Pawing at the nose or muzzle.

• Head shaking or tilting.

• Sniffling, snorting or snuffling from the nasopharynx.

• Gagging if irritation involves the nasopharynx or throat.

Sneezing occurred in 33 of 42 dogs, or 78.6%, with endoscopically confirmed foreign bodies. A nasopharyngeal clearing reflex may appear as an episode of reverse sneezing. Sneezing can become intermittent in chronic rhinitis.

In a British case series published in 2024, median symptom duration before treatment was 7 days. In the northern European stone case, a 6-month-old puppy had shown symptoms for several weeks.

Complications and consequences

A retained seed can sustain inflammation and infection. Migrating plant material may also cause an abscess. Associated infection can cause fever, tiredness and loss of appetite. Severe nasal obstruction may lead to oxygen deficiency.

Symptoms resolved during follow-up in 34 dogs treated endoscopically. Follow-up was available for 35 dogs, so 97.1% of those followed became symptom-free. The remaining 7, or 16.7%, had no follow-up information.

Diagnosis at the vet

Symptom progression and other possible causes

Outdoor history and possible seed exposure help plan investigations. The vet examines your dog and assesses discharge and breathing. Fungal infection, tumours and nasal mites can cause similar symptoms. Tooth root infection may spread to the nasal area and sustain rhinitis.

A dog may also have lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis, chronic inflammation involving these inflammatory cells. Primary bacterial rhinitis is extremely rare in dogs. A foreign body may cause reverse sneezing instead of nasal mites.

A clotting disorder can cause nosebleeding rather than a local object. Blood counts can check for anaemia and assess platelets needed for clotting. Clotting tests investigate the clotting mechanisms when needed. Blood pressure measurement may reveal hypertension contributing to bleeding.

Previous nasal injuries and nosebleeds are also established. Unusual bruising elsewhere on the skin may guide investigation of bleeding.

Imaging shows the object or its effects

An object such as a stone may show on ordinary X-rays. A wooden splinter may not be visible. CT helps examine nasal cavity structures. Direct detection of the foreign body can also be difficult on CT.

The British series included 63 dogs and 8 cats. Of 40 animals undergoing CT, the object itself was visible in only 14, or 35%. Mucosal thickening occurred in 29 of those 40, or 72.5%. Turbinate destruction was seen in 26, or 65%, of those imaged.

Failure to see an object on CT therefore does not rule one out. Contrast did not improve detection in that dog and cat comparison. Fluid accumulation occurred in 33 of 40 imaged animals, or 82.5%.

Endoscopy and samples refine diagnosis

Rhinoscopy examines nasal cavities with a small camera and light-equipped endoscope. A rigid endoscope may enter through a nostril. A flexible scope can pass through the mouth to examine the nasopharynx. Airway endoscopy is performed under general anaesthesia. Examination may extend from the nasal cavities to the frontal sinuses when needed, called sinus endoscopy.

Cell samples may be taken from nasal lesions. Biopsy helps distinguish inflammation from a tumour. Samples can also be tested for fungal or bacterial infection. Blood tests may assess general health before anaesthesia.

Treatment

Controlled foreign body removal

Definitive treatment for an embedded seed is removal. Remaining fragments may continue migrating through tissue. Removing the whole sharp seed head is therefore important. A seed identified early is usually easier to remove.

Endoscopy can remove seeds and splinters lodged in the nose. Veterinary nasal flushing may form part of the procedure. Foreign bodies were removed by rhinoscopy in all 42 dogs in the 2020 series. However, a stone may be so firmly lodged that surgery is needed.

A deeply migrated seed may need surgical exploration. A difficult case may require several imaging methods combined with endoscopy. Antibiotics alone did not resolve persistent nasal symptoms in the northern European stone case.

In the British series of 63 dogs and 8 cats, foreign bodies were removed endoscopically in 66 animals. Flushing removed the object in 4 animals in the same series.

Anaesthesia and possible procedural complications

Anaesthetic risk assessment particularly considers heart, liver or kidney disease. Nasal handling and biopsy may cause minor bleeding. Rarely, fluid used during the procedure may enter the airways. A breathing tube and suction reduce this risk.

Routine rhinoscopy may take about 10–30 minutes, depending on findings and treatment. Your dog is monitored until recovery from anaesthesia. An intravenous cannula allows anaesthetic drugs, other medicines and fluids to be given during the procedure. The vet may prescribe medication to relieve discomfort and inflammation.

Recovery and further investigations

Mild throat irritation or small appetite changes may occur for 24–48 hours after endoscopy. Mild sneezing and a small amount of blood-tinged fluid may relate to residual flushing fluid in the nose. Follow-up may be needed to assess recovery or provide further care.

Prevention

Avoiding areas with sharp grass seed heads reduces risk. Walking on a paved path limits exposure among seed heads. If you must cross such vegetation, a lead helps control the route. Problem plants in your garden can be removed by pulling out individual plants.

Check the coat after walks through long grass. Include around the ears, between the toes, armpits and groin in a thorough check. Keeping hair short between the toes, around the ears and on the abdomen reduces seed attachment in long-haired dogs.

A protective face mesh can reduce seed heads reaching the muzzle area. It does not protect other body parts from seeds.

Important for dog owners

Tell the vet whether symptoms began during a walk through grass with seed heads. Record which nostril discharges and whether blood is present. Contact a vet if persistent sneezing or head shaking follows activity in such an area.

Follow the practice's preparation instructions before anaesthesia. Report non-prescription medicines before endoscopy too. Afterwards, keep your dog calm indoors or on short lead walks for the first 24 hours. Persistent or heavy nosebleeding needs immediate contact.

Keep your dog calm during a nosebleed. Excitement can raise blood pressure and increase bleeding. A cold pack over the bridge of the nose may slow bleeding by narrowing small blood vessels. Keep the nostrils clear so your dog can breathe.

Do not push cotton wool or other absorbent material into the nose. It can trigger sneezing and worsen bleeding. Do not give medicines for nosebleeding without veterinary advice.

Blood swallowed during a nosebleed can cause black stools. It may also produce blood clots in vomit. After a nosebleed, these findings do not necessarily mean bleeding originated in the digestive tract.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreign body cause discharge from both nostrils?

Yes, a foreign body is possible with bilateral discharge too. Among 42 dogs with endoscopic findings, 2, or 4.8%, had an object in both nasal cavities. Mucosal inflammation and secretions can also make nasal breathing difficult.

Does a grass seed always show on images?

Plant material may be invisible on ordinary X-rays. Detection on CT can also be difficult. During endoscopy under general anaesthesia, a small camera and light show the nasal passages directly. Lodged material can also be removed during the examination.

Can antibiotics treat a retained nasal foreign body?

An embedded seed needs removal. Retained material can sustain local inflammation. In the northern European stone case, several antibiotic courses did not resolve persistent snorting, sniffling and nasal discharge. The stone eventually needed surgical removal after endoscopy.

Does reverse sneezing always mean nasal mites?

No, foreign material in the nose or nasopharynx can cause similar symptoms. Examples include grass, fabric or toy fluff. The nasopharynx can be examined with a flexible endoscope passed through the mouth.

What should I monitor after endoscopy?

Mild sneezing or scant blood-tinged discharge may occur afterwards. Keep your dog calm for the first 24 hours. Heavy or persistent bleeding needs immediate veterinary contact. Breathing difficulty or unusually violent sneezing also needs prompt assessment.