Noisy Breathing During Meals in Flat-Faced Dogs

If a flat-faced dog repeatedly pauses a meal to breathe, makes new breathing noises, or brings food back up, contact your veterinary team. A dog that cannot catch its breath, has blue or gray gums or tongue, or collapses needs emergency care. Move away from heat and activity while arranging transport. Don't offer more food to see whether it can finish.

Describe what happens before, during and after the meal

A snort before a bowl goes down, noisy breathing while chewing, and food appearing again after the dog walks away are different observations. Write down when the sound begins, whether the dog pauses, and how long it takes to return to its usual breathing. Note whether the same thing happens with drinking, during sleep, or on an ordinary walk. Share the dog’s age and any recent change in exercise tolerance.

The University of Cambridge's BOAS guide describes the breathing noises and effort that can occur in short-muzzled dogs. A clinical study of brachycephalic dogs examined reflux and regurgitation in dogs referred for airway assessment. The overlap is one reason to describe the order of events rather than deciding at home whether the sound came from the throat or the stomach.

Give the vet a usable example

If the dog is comfortable and the behavior happens during an ordinary meal, a short video from the side can show posture and effort. Skip filming if breathing is difficult. When you call, describe the food texture and whether material came up with abdominal effort. Our guide to collecting a history after exercise collapse explains what else can help if your dog has also had a collapse episode.

Ask the team whether they want any changes in feeding before the appointment. Avoid trialing several new bowls or textures while a breathing problem is being assessed. The veterinarian can decide whether an airway evaluation and a separate look at swallowing or digestion are appropriate.

Written by PARTNER Editorial Team for general education. Contact your veterinary team for advice about your pet’s individual health and feeding needs.