Less Common but Possible Reasons include:
Sleep Apnea -
Snoring is the #1 sign of sleep apnea and this can be a serious health issue for dogs. This is a condition in which breathing is temporarily halted for very briefly but continually while sleeping. This pause is breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds and a dog can have this happen anywhere from 10 to 100's of times each night. Aside from snoring, a Poodle may also make gasping noises.
Minor cases will often include snoring and lead to the dog being overly sleeping the next day or moody. More serious cases can even be fatal.
Treatment involves making sure that the Poodle is not overweight and placing a humidifier by his sleeping area during the winter and using AC in the summer. The dog will be checked for allergies and in some cases anti-inflammatory medication can help. In serious cases that are jeopardizing the dog's heath, surgery performed to remove excess tissue in the throat to make the airway wider.
Elongated soft palate -While not common with the Poodle breed, this is sometimes the cause of snoring. Dogs that have a longer than usual soft palate may snore and also have trouble breathing during exercise, make snorting noises , gag when eating, cough and/or vomit during or right after eating. These symptoms may worsen during hot humid weather conditions.
Treatment for minor cases often involves non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. More serious cases are often treated with surgery to shorten the palate.
Nasal Stenosis -
As with elongated palate, stenotic nares (pinched nostrils) are not common with the Poodle breed but is a possible cause. This is a narrowing of the nostrils that causes snoring, snorting noises and often times trouble breathing, particularly when excited. This is a congenital defect (the dog is born with this) though with minor cases it may flare up only when a
puppy is in the teething phase and clears up on its own afterward.
With mild cases, a Poodle should not be exercised in hot, humid weather and owners should try and help avoid any stressful situations. If a dog is really struggling, surgery is often performed to widen the nasal openings.