Breathing Disorders
Problems may arise anywhere along the respiratory tract. Conditions affecting the upper part of the respiratory tract include foreign bodies in the nostrils or the throat and infections such as kennel cough. Lower respiratory tract disorders include bronchitis, pneumonia and accumulation of fluid in the chest cavity.
Virtually all respiratory disorders cause changes in the affected dog's breathing pattern. Unusual breathing is often the first sign of a respiratory problem and therefore may be an important diagnostic clue. Your dog takes breaths between 10 and 30 times a minute. The normal breathing rate is dependent on size, being slower in large individuals and faster in smaller ones. You need to become accustomed to your dog's breathing pattern, including the normal signs that the dog makes as it breathes in and out. This knowledge will make it easier for you to detect and changes from the normal pattern.
RAPID BREATHING
Like humans, dogs breathe faster after exercise. They may also pant in hot weather and when excited or nervous. Rapid breathing also occurs, however, in dangerous conditions such as shock, poisoning or heatstroke. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your dog's breathing rate has suddenly increased for no obvious reason.
SHALLOW BREATHING
This sign means that something is interfering the normal expansion and contraction of the chest. A dog with shallow breathing compensates by breathing more rapidly. (Pain, for example, from bruising or damage to the ribs) can cause this problem. If your dog has developed shallow breathing, and particularly if it has suffered an injury, contact your vet immediately.
LABORED BREATHING
Difficulty breathing is always a cause for concern. Possible causes include heart failure, lung disease or a buildup of fluid in the chest, trauma such as a torn diaphragm, and tumors. Contact your vet immediately.
Do not mistake normal panting for labored breathing. Panting, which is shallow, rapid, open-mouthed breathing, is not a medical problem; it is what hot, nervous, excited, or exhausted dogs do. Vigorous exercise will induce panting. Contact your vet if your dog starts panting for no apparent reason. Pain sometimes causes a dog to pant, as can drugs such as corticosteroids. One indicator of whether panting is healthy is the color of the tongue: a pink tongue indicates plenty of oxygen in the blood.
NOISY BREATHING, WHEEZING, AND COUGHING
Any change in a dog's breathing sounds is significant. Possible causes include obstruction in the upper respiratory tract and paralysis of the vocal folds. Contact your vet if your dog develops noisy breathing.
Wheezing is not as common in dogs as it is in people. When it does occur, it usually indicates a problem affecting the lungs, or inflammation of the bronchi caused by allergy, irritation, or infection. Wheezing dogs should receive veterinary attention within 24 hours.
Coughing indicates irritation in the respiratory tract. During coughing, the trachea contracts by about one-sixth of its normal size, forcing air out at high speed to dislodge any foreign matter from the airways. A dog that is coughing persistently should be taken to see a vet within 24 hours.
DIAGNOSTIC METHODS
There are various techniques that your vet can use to find out what is causing your dog's breathing problems.
Physical Examination
Depending on the clinical signs, the vet may check inside the dog's mouth or nostrils for any foreign objects, feel the chest and the rib cage, and listen to the lungs using a stethoscope. The vet may also take the dog's temperature; a raised temperature may indicate a respiratory tract infection.
Imaging Techniques
X-rays are often used to detect foreign bodies in the airways, and also to look for structural abnormalities of the respiratory tract, fluid buildup in the lungs, or tumors in the lung tissue.
Bacterial Culture
The vet may take a swab of nasal discharge or of fluids from the throat to make a culture, which will reveal the organisms responsible for infections.
Stool Analysis
A stool sample will be analyzed if a parasitic infestation is suspected to be the cause of lung damage. Worm eggs can be seen in the stools.
Bronchoscopy
A bronchoscope is an instrument used to look inside the trachea and the bronchi and to collect tissue samples for examination under the microscope.
Tracheal Wash
Also called lavage, this procedure is a method of obtaining cells and other material from the inside of the dog's trachea for analysis. A tracheal wash is generally performed in conjunction with bronchoscopy.
The dog first anesthetized and a needle is inserted through the throat. Saline fluid is then flushed through the needle into the trachea. This small amount of fluid is withdrawn into a syringe, and the cells that it now contains are examined by a specialist called a cytologist. Other portions of the fluid sample are retained for bacterial culture.
The material collected from the dog's trachea may be examined under a microscope or may be cultured for microorganisms, depending on the nature of the clinical signs.
Allergy Tests
Although allergies in dogs, even those that are due to inhaled substances, are more likely to show up as a skin complaint, they can also manifest themselves in the form of respiratory signs.
Procedures such as intradermal skin tests or ELISA tests may be carried out if a dog's breathing problems are thought to be due to an allergy to a particular substance.
What to do if your dog is choking
First distinguish choking from gagging. Choking is an emergency, needing an immediate treatment. If your dog is conscious, put your arms around the dog's belly, make a fist, and squeeze firmly upward and forward just behind the rib cage. For a small dog, place your hands on either side of the animal's belly and then squeeze the body firmly upward and forward.
If the dog has lost consciousness, place it on its side. Put the heels of both your hands just behind the dog's back ribs. Press sharply to expel the blockage. use your finger to remove debris from the mouth. Give artificial respiration and cardiopulmonary resuscitation if necessary.
Never give cough medicine to a dog that is gagging or choking, because it may prevent expulsion of the foreign body object and make the problem worse.
Go Pets America recommends seeking the advice of your local veterinarian for the most appropriate vaccination program and for the diagnosis and treatment of your pet's health problems. For vaccination requirements please contact your state and local licensing authorities.
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