Why Is My Dog Making Weird Noises? Causes and Next Steps

Name: Why Is My Dog Making Weird Noises? Causes and Next Steps
Creator: Dr. Zubair Khalid

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-10-03

Why is my dog making weird noises? Most odd sounds come from normal dog vocalizations, reverse sneezing, or mild throat irritation, but some point to airway blockages, heart or lung disease, or nerve problems. The sound itself, how long it lasts, and what else you see tell you how worried to be. This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Quick Answer

A short honking or snorting spell that ends in a swallow and leaves your dog acting normal is usually reverse sneezing, which is common and not dangerous.
A new or louder howl, whine, or bark can mean pain, illness, or separation distress, so a vet visit is the first step to rule out medical causes [1][2].
Noisy breathing that gets worse with activity, plus blue gums, collapse, or a neck stretched out to breathe, is an emergency. Go now.
Puppies explore with their mouths and often make grunts, snorts, and gurgles while teething or playing, but sudden noisy breathing in a puppy still needs a same-day call.
Record the sound on your phone before your visit. It helps your vet hear exactly what you hear at home.

What the Noise Sounds Like and What Is Normal

Dogs make sound for many reasons. Howling is a normal form of vocal communication used to attract attention, make contact, and announce presence [1]. Some dogs howl back at sirens or musical instruments, and that usually stops when the trigger stops [1]. Barking has many functions too, including alarm barking at sights and sounds in any location [3]. Whining often shows up during excited greetings [2].

So a dog who has always grunted when happy, snored when asleep, or yodeled at the doorbell is not a worry. The question is whether the sound is new, getting worse, or paired with other changes.

Normal sounds you can expect

Snoring, especially in flat-faced breeds
Grunts when your dog flops down or gets a good scratch
Play growls and play sneezes
Howling at sirens, which stops when the sound stops [1]
Whining at greetings when your dog is excited [2]

Sounds that deserve a closer look

A honking sound that repeats in bursts
A high-pitched whistle or rasp when breathing in
A wet, rattling sound when breathing out
Gagging, retching, or a sound like something is stuck
Any new noise that comes with coughing, trouble swallowing, or a change in energy

If your dog is also coughing, these guides can help you sort the pattern: Why Is My Dog Coughing And Gagging Randomly and Why Is My Dog Suddenly Coughing And Gagging.

Why Is My Dog Making Weird Noises? Main Causes

Reverse sneezing

This is the classic honking, snorting sound. Your dog pulls air in sharply through the nose, often with the head back and elbows out, then swallows and acts fine. It lasts seconds to a minute or two. It is common and usually harmless. If spells become frequent or last longer, have your vet check the nose and throat.

Upper airway problems

The airway from the nose to the voice box can narrow or become blocked. A laryngeal web, which is a rare band of tissue across the opening of the voice box, can cause upper airway obstruction and noisy breathing [4]. A pharyngeal sialocele, a rare saliva-filled pocket in the throat, can also block the airway and cause stridor (a harsh sound when breathing in), drooling, and trouble breathing [5]. A pituitary tumor that raises growth hormone has been reported to cause progressive inspiratory stridor in a dog [6].

Muscle and nerve disease

Muscle inflammation can change the voice and the sound of breathing. One dog with an overlap syndrome of masticatory myositis and polymyositis came in for chronic upper airway noises and trouble swallowing, with inspiratory stridor and expiratory stertor (a snoring-like sound when breathing out) [7]. Trouble swallowing, drooling, and a changed bark can all point this way.

Heart and lung disease

Some parasites and infections cause breathing changes. A dog with widespread Angiostrongylus vasorum infection, sometimes called French heartworm, had short episodes of stupor and trouble breathing before dying of heart failure [8]. This parasite is an emerging concern in Europe, and your veterinarian will consider travel history when relevant [8].

Pain, illness, and stress

Dogs howl when they are hurt or sick, and a dog who starts howling more than usual should see a vet to rule out illness and injury before anything else [1]. Whining often signals pain or a painful condition, and sudden or frequent vocalizing is a reason for a vet visit [2]. Howling that only happens when your dog is alone, along with pacing, destruction, or accidents, points to separation anxiety [1].

The sound is a symptom, not a diagnosis

Cause	Typical clues	How urgent
Reverse sneezing	Short honking bursts, ends with a swallow, dog acts normal	Routine if mild, sooner if frequent
Upper airway obstruction (laryngeal web, sialocele)	Stridor, drooling, neck stretched out, exercise intolerance	Same day to emergency
Muscle or nerve disease	Changed bark, trouble swallowing, noisy breathing at rest [7]	Same day
Heart or lung disease, parasites	Cough, fast breathing, weakness, fainting [8]	Emergency if severe
Pain or illness	New howling or whining, hiding, not eating [1][2]	Same day
Separation anxiety	Howling only when alone, pacing, destruction [1]	Routine, but treat soon
Alarm barking	Barking at sights and sounds anywhere, stiff posture [3]	Routine

Red Flags That Mean Emergency

Go to an emergency clinic now if you see any of these:

Blue, gray, or white gums
Collapse or fainting
Breathing with the neck stretched forward and elbows out
Loud, continuous noisy breathing that does not stop
Gagging with a swollen neck or face
A bloated belly with unproductive retching
Sudden weakness in the back legs with a howl or yelp

Call your vet the same day for:

A new honking or rasping sound that keeps coming back
A voice change that lasts more than a day or two
Drooling more than usual or dropping food
Coughing that wakes your dog at night
Any new howling or whining with no clear trigger [1][2]

If the noise comes with shaking or trembling, see Why Is My Dog Shaking?. If it sounds like a goose honk, see Why Is My Dog Coughing And Honking.

Safe Things You Can Do at Home While You Wait

Record the sound

Use your phone. Capture the noise at rest, during sleep, and after activity. Your vet can hear things in a recording that may not happen in the exam room.

Keep your dog calm and cool

Heat and excitement make breathing worse. Move your dog to a cool, quiet room. Skip the long walk and the dog park until your vet has seen your dog.

Do not put anything in the mouth or throat

Do not reach into the throat, do not give human cough drops, and do not try to pull anything out you cannot see. You can cause bleeding or push an object deeper.

Ease a reverse sneezing spell

Gently stroke the throat, or briefly cover the nostrils with your hand to make your dog swallow. This often ends the spell. If spells are frequent, keep a log of when they happen.

Manage greeting whining

If your dog whines only when people come in, downplay greetings. Keep them short and calm, avoid loud excited tones, and wait to pet your dog until the excitement drops. Teach a sit or hand target instead [2].

Handle howling at triggers

If your dog howls at sirens and stops when the sound stops, that is normal [1]. If triggers happen often, ask your vet or a trainer about desensitization and counterconditioning [1].

Do not punish the noise

Punishing a dog for howling or whining does not fix the cause, and it can make anxiety worse. If the noise is attention seeking, teach a quiet cue and reward a different behavior like sit or down [3].

What Your Veterinarian Will Check and Test

Your vet starts with the story. When did it start? What does the sound sound like? Does it happen at rest, during sleep, or with exercise? Bring your video.

Physical exam

Your vet listens to the heart and lungs, checks gum color, feels the neck and throat, and watches your dog breathe at rest. They also check the mouth, teeth, and throat for anything stuck or swollen.

Airway and imaging tests

X-rays of the chest and neck
CT or MRI for the throat, voice box, or brain
Endoscopy, a camera passed to look at the airway
Blood work, including a thyroid panel and muscle enzymes when muscle disease is suspected [7]
A clotting time test when bleeding problems are possible [8]
Cytology, which uses a cell sample to confirm a sialocele [5]

What treatment can look like

Treatment depends on the cause. A laryngeal web can be treated with laser surgery through the mouth, sometimes with a temporary keel placed to lower the chance of the problem coming back [4]. A pharyngeal sialocele is treated with surgery to remove the affected salivary glands [5]. A pituitary tumor causing stridor has been treated with surgery to remove the mass, though the dog in that report stayed diabetic afterward [6]. Muscle disease is managed with immune-suppressing medication and thyroid support when needed [7]. Your vet sets every drug and dose based on your dog's weight and health.

Prevention and Monitoring

Keep a symptom log with dates, times, and short videos.
Track breathing rate at rest. Count breaths for 15 seconds and multiply by four. Ask your vet what number should worry you.
Keep vaccines, parasite prevention, and heartworm testing current, and tell your vet about any travel.
Use a harness instead of a neck collar if your dog has a collapsing airway or a honking cough.
Keep your dog at a healthy weight. Extra weight makes breathing harder.
Treat anxiety early. Howling only when alone, with pacing or destruction, is separation anxiety and responds to behavior plans [1].
Schedule a recheck if the sound changes, even if your dog seems fine.

Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian

No article can tell you what is causing your dog's noise. Your dog needs an exam, and individual cases always need a veterinarian.

Call now or go to an emergency clinic for blue gums, collapse, severe trouble breathing, a swollen neck, or nonstop gagging.

Call the same day for a new honking or rasping sound, a voice change, drooling, trouble swallowing, or new howling and whining with no clear trigger [1][2].

Book a routine visit for long-standing snoring, occasional reverse sneezing, or howling that only happens with sirens [1].

If you think your dog ate something toxic, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. For more urgent help, call the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my dog keep making noises with his mouth?

Dogs use mouth noises for many reasons, including greeting whines, alarm barks, and howls at sirens [1][3][2]. If the sound is new, constant, or comes with drooling or trouble eating, have your vet look at the mouth and throat.

Why is my dog acting weird all of a sudden?

A sudden change in behavior plus a new noise can mean pain, illness, or a neurologic problem. Short episodes of stupor and trouble breathing have been reported with a serious parasite infection [8]. Get a same-day vet exam instead of waiting to see if it passes.

Why is my puppy making weird noises?

Puppies often grunt, snort, and gurgle during play, teething, and sleep. Noisy breathing that gets worse with activity, or any spell that turns the gums pale, is not normal for a puppy and needs a same-day call.

Is dog reverse sneezing dangerous?

Reverse sneezing is common and usually harmless, and most spells end on their own in seconds. See your vet if spells become frequent, last longer than a couple of minutes, or come with a runny nose, coughing, or nose bleeding.

Can dog grunting or honking sounds be a sign of something serious?

Yes, sometimes. A rare laryngeal web can cause upper airway obstruction, and a rare throat sialocele can cause stridor and trouble breathing [5][4]. Muscle disease can also change breathing sounds and swallowing [7]. Any honking that repeats, worsens, or comes with exercise intolerance deserves a vet visit.

References

Howling. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Whining. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Barking. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Endoscopic diode laser lysis of dorsal acquired glottic web and custom-made Silastic keel placement in a dog. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 2026.
Clinical presentation, surgical management, and long-term outcomes of pharyngeal sialoceles in dogs: 6 cases (2015-2025). BMC veterinary research, 2025.
Case Report: Treatment of hypersomatotropism in a diabetic dog with transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. Frontiers in veterinary science, 2026.
Case Report: Overlap syndrome with concurrent polymyositis, masticatory myositis, and lymphocytic thyroiditis in a dog. Frontiers in veterinary science, 2026.
Disseminated angiostrongylosis with involvement of the central nervous system as a cause of sudden death in a dog in Germany. BMC veterinary research, 2026.