My dog is breathing heavily – what's behind it?? causes& First aidBehind it can be a
serious illness stuck, which should be clarified absolutely by the veterinary surgeon.
It could also be that your dog is suffering from a foreign body swallowed has and then threatens a life-threatening Choking attack in the dog.
If your dog Shortness of breath because of foreign body in the throat has, contact a veterinarian immediately & start first aid (Click here!) in the dog. The most important thing: MAINTAIN SILENCE. CALM THE DOG!
If your furry friend is having a hard time breathing, he will be anxious to panic and therefore needs even more oxygen.
So it creates a vicious cycle that you need to interrupt if possible by calming your dog as much as you can.
We explain below everything you need to know when your dog is breathing heavily:
Symptoms – How to recognize respiratory distress in dogs
If your dog gets too little air, you can recognize this quickly and easily by the following behaviors:
With all symptoms you should go immediately with your dog to the veterinary surgeon.
Causes – diseases that can cause heavy breathing in dogs
Allergies
Allergies in dogs are not uncommon and lead to shortness of breath. Usually they occur at certain times of the year, z.B. When pollen flies in spring.
Also in certain situations, e.B. when cleaning the house, if the dog is allergic to cleaning agents.
Asthma
If the dog suffers from asthma, it comes through the Inflammation of the bronchial tubes also to shortness of breath. Asthma in dogs can be treated with inhalations. be treated with cortisone.
Brachycephalic syndrome
Especially common respiratory problems occur in brachycephalic, i.e. short-headed dogs with shortened muzzles, such as.B. French Bulldog, Pug and Pekinese.
In these dog breeds, a tongue that is too long, nostrils and nasal passages that are too narrow, and a soft palate that is too long make breathing difficult.
When these dogs inhale, they suck part of their soft palate into the entrance of the trachea in the process.
This means that for a short time they can no longer breathe and make choking sounds until the palate slides back again.
What may sound quite funny to humans, is for the dogs an agony.
Surgical dilation of the nostrils and shortening of the soft palate can allow these dogs to live without shortness of breath made possible.
Heart disease
When the heart enlarges, it can put prere on the trachea and lead to shortness of breath lead. develop period. Do not appear suddenly.
laryngeal paralysis
Due to the paralysis of the larynx (larynxparalysis), the dog may have the not breathing oxygen properly.
In this case, surgery can provide relief by suturing the ary cartilage to the thyroid cartilage.
Due to this frequent operation, the dog then gets air more easily.
Tracheal Collapse
Here reduces the Stability of cartilage braces in the trachea.
It comes to narrowing of the trachea and thereby to Shortness of breath in dogs.
By inserting stents the trachea can be widened again.
pneumonia
With a pneumonia in the dog it comes to Difficulty breathing and a poor general condition, often accompanied by fever.
Pneumonia is usually triggered by Bacteria, which can then be treated with antibiotics.
But also Viruses and Parasites, such as z.B. the Lungworm, are Triggers of pneumonia.
Lungworm infestation
A lungworm infestation can also be difficult breathing in dogs lead.
Due to a fecal examination lungworms can be detected.
Pleural effusion
A pleural effusion is a Fluid accumulation between the Lung pleura and the pleura.
As a result, the lungs are surrounded by these fluid.
This effusion can be caused by Heart disease, tumors, etc. and it comes to heavy breathing and shortness of breath.
The doctor can detect a pleural effusion in a dog by X-ray or by ultrasound examination.
Usually the fluid is removed by puncturing.
Polyps
These benign growths usually occur in the throat and trigger snoring sounds when breathing out.
polyps in dogs can be easily removed by the veterinarian.
tumors
Unfortunately, dogs also suffer from cancer.
Due to a lung tumor, laryngeal tumor, Tumors in the nasopharynx or metastases in the thoracic cavity can Difficulty breathing become.
It comes to snoring-like breathing sounds and difficulty swallowing.
Treatment is carried out by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
kennel cough
In kennel cough the trachea becomes inflamed and leads to violent coughing fits with shortness of breath.
The coughing fits sound as if the dog has a foreign body stuck in its throat.
foreign bodies lead to shortness of breath and suffocation in the dog
If you think your dog has a foreign body stuck in the throat, then check first, whether he can still swallow.
This works best if you give him a Treat offer.
If he eats the treat and swallows it, then in most cases he does not have a foreign body in his throat, which could lead to a choking attack.
If he does not want to eat the treat, breathes heavily and hardly gets air, then please notify the vet immediately !
If the foreign body blocks the trachea, it can quickly lead to a life-threatening situation.
How you can help: First aid for choking from a dog
If you are quite sure that a foreign bodies go to Choking If the foreign body could lead to a choking attack and threaten your dog's life, then you must immediately remove the foreign body Call veterinarian and/or emergency veterinarian and ask for help.
TIPS:
You should have the phone number of the vet saved under favorites on your cell phone, so that in an emergency no time is lost.
Is your dog already collapsed and unconscious, then you must now First aid perform and you go as follows before:
If you cannot remove the foreign body, then use the force of gravity, by Dog upside down hold up and shake.
Best lift You him up the hind legs and tapping lightly on his back between the shoulder blades.
This of course works only in small to medium sized dogs.
a large dog, you must try to lift its hind legs, so that it at least comes in an inclined position.
If you were able to remove the foreign body, then please still go to the vet, so that z.B. rule out an injury to the trachea.