My Dog Snores: Causes, Predisposed Breeds and When to See a Vet

Why do dogs snore?

Snoring occurs when airflow meets resistance passing through the throat during sleep. In dogs, the most common causes are anatomical — especially in flat-faced breeds — but allergies, obesity, infections and foreign bodies can all be culprits too.

Common causes

• Brachycephalic anatomy — the most frequent cause. Flat-nosed breeds have structural airway issues: elongated soft palate, stenotic nares, hypoplastic trachea.
• Obesity — excess fat around the neck compresses the pharynx during sleep.
• Allergies — environmental or food — inflame nasal and pharyngeal mucosa, narrowing the airway.
• Sleep position — lying on their back or with a flexed neck can cause occasional harmless snoring.
• Polyps or masses in the pharynx or nasal passages.
• Respiratory infections — transient inflammation causes snoring that resolves with the infection.
• Foreign body in the throat or nasal passage — sudden-onset snoring.

Breeds that snore most

Brachycephalic breeds are the snoring champions: English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pug, Shih Tzu, Boxer, Pekingese, Boston Terrier, Neapolitan Mastiff, Chow Chow, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

In these breeds snoring may be a consequence of their anatomy, but that does not mean it should be dismissed: brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) can seriously affect quality of life and shorten life expectancy.

When to worry

See your vet if you notice:

• Sudden-onset snoring in a dog that never snored before — possible foreign body, mass or infection.
• Snoring that is progressively getting louder or more frequent.
• Daytime breathing difficulty: open-mouth breathing, continuous panting at rest, audible breathing at all times.
• Increasing exercise intolerance.
• Episodes of cyanosis (bluish gums) — emergency.
• Observable sleep apnoea: the dog appears to stop breathing for seconds.
• Snoring with nosebleeds or nasal discharge.

Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS)

BOAS encompasses the anatomical abnormalities that impair breathing in flat-faced breeds: stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, everted laryngeal saccules and hypoplastic trachea. Corrective surgery (nare widening, soft palate shortening) significantly improves quality of life and is recommended early — before irreversible secondary changes develop in the larynx.

What owners can do

• Maintain ideal body weight — the most impactful modifiable factor.
• Encourage sleeping with the neck slightly elevated.
• Manage allergies if diagnosed.
• Avoid heat and intense exercise during hot weather in brachycephalic breeds.