Have you observed your dog breathing heavily? In this type of situation, it is essential to act quickly to know what this problem may be due to and what we can do in this situation. In general, we talk about pathologies that will require veterinary treatment
As we will see, breathing difficulties may be due to mild respiratory illnesses but also to heart problems, especially in older dogs, which can become serious. In this article on our site we will review the most common conditions that can cause respiratory problems in dogs
Respiratory problems in dogs
There are numerous causes that can explain why a dog is having trouble breathing. Some will be life-threatening, such as heat stroke or anaphylactic shock In the In the following sections we will see the most common situations in terms of respiratory problems.
To know if a dog is having trouble breathing, we must pay attention to the following signs:
- Rapid breathing, not to be confused with the usual panting that the dog makes to lower its body temperature.
- Laboured breathing.
- Respiratory noises such as snorting, snoring, wheezing, or stridor.
- Shallow breathing.
- The dog with severe shortness of breath that begins to go into shock will exhibit panting, rapid heartbeat, and congested mucous membranes.
- The dog in advanced shock will have pale mucous membranes, low body temperature, slow respiratory rate, apathy, depression, weak or no pulse, and unconsciousness.
To know what to do when a dog is having trouble breathing, we must look at the efficiency of his breathing. If he is breathing, even with difficulty, we will go to the vetto determine the origin of the problem and treat it. If the dog cannot breathe and loses consciousness, in addition to immediately taking him to the vet, we must start the artificial respiration or rescue maneuvers and, if he does not have a heartbeat cardiac arrest, we will have to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR until we reach the nearest veterinary center.
My dog is having trouble breathing and trembling
If our dog has trouble breathing and has seizures like convulsions we could be facing poisoning in the dog. These cases represent a veterinary emergency since, depending on the poison and the amount that has entered the body, they can cause the death of the animal. To avoid these situations we must keep the dog in a safe environment and get him used to not eating anything that we have not given him.
My dog has trouble breathing through his nose
Diseases that cause runny nose, due to greater or lesser obstruction of the nose, usually have the effect that Our dog finds it hard to breathe. Also common are sneezing Conditions such as that caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica or kennel cough, in addition to a runny nose, will also cause a cough and, sometimes, eye discharge, fever, anorexia, etc.
It is important that, when faced with these symptoms, we seek veterinary assistance, otherwise these infections could spread to the lungs and cause a much more serious condition, such as pneumonia in the dog.
We must know that canine distemper can manifest itself with the same symptoms as a cold, so in unvaccinated dogs we must take this possibility into account. Rhinitis, which can be allergic, as well as the presence of foreign bodies in the nose can also cause a runny nose and breathing difficulties.
In addition, there are congenital problems such as nasal stenosis in puppies of brachycephalic breeds such as bulldogs that cause respiratory obstruction to varying degrees and characteristic snorting, snoring and snorting. This stenosis usually occurs at the same time as the elongation of the soft palate and the eversion of the laryngeal ventricles, constituting the so-called " brachycephalic dog syndrome". Polyps and tumors in the nostrils will also interfere with air intake.
My dog chokes when breathing
In this case, a dog having difficulty breathing may be due to the presence of a foreign body obstructing the larynx. This situation is the cause of coughing, choking, suffocation and respiratory complications. It requires immediate veterinary assistance and even implement artificial respiration or CPR if the dog loses consciousness.
Objects such as rubber balls or bones can be responsible for these drownings, hence the importance of controlling the dog's access to these elements. Laryngeal edema such as can occur in an anaphylactic reaction or heat stroke can also narrow or occlude the airways. Choke collars can cause damage to the larynx that affects breathing. Its use is completely discouraged.
My dog is having trouble breathing and vomiting
When our dog has trouble breathing and has a runny nose, it is easy for them to also nausea, retching and, to a lesser measure, vomiting. This is due to postnasal drip. In addition, the reflux of gastric contents into the lungs during vomiting can lead to the appearance of aspiration pneumonia, which also occurs in pathologies such as megaesophagus or gastroesophageal reflux.
My dog has trouble breathing when he sleeps
If our dog has trouble breathing at night, it is common for him to express it in the form of a cough, sometimes with expectoration, and accelerated breathing. They are dogs that are going to show intolerance to exercise, they will get more tired and lose weight. Some will have a swollen abdomen. This symptomatology corresponds to dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease in which the chambers of the heart enlarge and the walls of the ventricles thin, which causes the heart begins to fail.
Any of these symptoms is reason for veterinary consultation, since the dog will require treatment. Dilated cardiomyopathy and chronic valvular disease with mitral valve involvement lead to congestive heart failure. These dogs have labored breathing at rest. The filaria, a worm that parasites the heart, can also cause breathing difficulties.
