The dog has heavy breathing what to do. The dog is breathing heavily - for what reason and what to do

Sometimes the dog can notice rapid breathing. Perhaps this is just overheating in the hot summer period, which is considered the norm. Or maybe a more serious problem that can affect the life of the animal. Dyspnea - shortness of breath, this is a violation of the frequency and depth of breathing and is accompanied by a feeling of lack of air. In dogs, the syndrome manifests itself quite often. This is a serious problem, because it leads to disruptions in the supply of oxygen to the entire body. Shortness of breath occurs due to fluid filling the lungs or chest cavity.

At rest, dogs take 10 to 30 breaths per minute. Of course, this depends on the size, sex and age of the dog. Changes in respiratory rate occur after physical exertion, or active movement, as well as in the summer, when the temperature rises significantly and breathing can increase up to 160 breaths. An indicator of rapid breathing can also be overexcitation or instability of the nervous system.

Rapid breathing is considered normal and is not a deviation in the health of the pet:

• in a state of fear, rage, joy;
• while visiting unfamiliar places, travel in transport;
• at the appointment of a veterinarian, after vaccination or taking a drug, in the postoperative period;
• during sexual hunting, pregnancy and childbirth;
• during the period of active actions, physical activity, walking;
• after taking a large amount of food;
• during sun exposure.

What you need to know! Hormones have an effect on a dog's breathing rate. So, for example, during stress there is a surge of adrenaline into the blood (fear), hydrocortisone (feeling of anxiety), norepinephrine (feeling of anger). Therefore, during such a hormonal release, the dog's body requires active oxygen saturation, and it begins to breathe frequently.

Breathing is restored quickly as soon as the cause of the increased oxygen consumption is eliminated.

Indicators of the norm of respiratory rate, pulse and body temperature in dogs

When can increased breathing be considered a deviation?

If the dog began to breathe more often, while she was in minimal activity or in a completely calm state, perhaps this behavior may be a clear symptom of some kind of pathology. If the animal does not show interest in your actions, is in a state of apathy and at the same time breathes frequently, making noises during breathing, then the dog should be taken to the veterinarian and a diagnostic examination should be carried out. Only some breeds of dogs have anatomical features, for example, pugs have a special structure of the muzzle, so their sniffling and snoring is considered normal and should not disturb the owner. The sudden appearance of rapid breathing may be a violation of the respiratory system, or other very serious pathologies.

Causes of rapid breathing

There are many causes of pathological dyspnea:

• problems with the cardiovascular system (large breeds of dogs, such as the Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, are predisposed to cardiomyopathy - primary myocardial damage);
• deviations in the pulse rate;
• lung diseases;
• tumors in the respiratory system (for example, often located in boxer dog lung cancer);
• with an infectious lesion of the body, developing pneumonia;
• airway obstruction (small breeds - for example, Yorkshire terrier, Spitz, Chihuahua - suffer from tracheal collapse);
• damage to the chest, in which bleeding fills the entire pleural cavity (hemothorax) or the lungs fill with fluid (hydrothorax);
• deviations in the work of the central nervous system, with neoplasms of the brain or head injuries;
• postoperative period with complications;
• brachycephalic breeds, breeding dogs in the course of targeted selection with the fixation of a certain trait - a specific head shape with a short muzzle (Pekingese, pug, bulldog breeds). Dogs have congenital pathologies of dyspnea - narrowing of the nostrils, elongation of the soft palate, or are predisposed to a variety of diseases of the upper respiratory system.

Rapid breathing is not always a sign of a serious illness, sometimes it may indicate that a foreign body is stuck in the respiratory system. Anemia can also be the cause of rapid breathing, because the body does not receive the necessary amount of oxygen and tissues and organs are not enriched. During a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, the dog can breathe much more often than usual.

What you need to know! In some situations, the appearance of rapid breathing provokes pulmonary edema, which was caused by weakness of the heart muscle, which in this case is a vicious circle.

Symptoms

By the behavior of the dog, you can always understand whether dyspnea will be a normal manifestation or a deviation in the state of health. If you notice:

• restlessness, the animal trembles;
• inhalation and exhalation is given to the dog with difficulty;
• breathing occurs with an open mouth;
• cough, wheezing during breathing, rapid breathing;
• gums, lips and tongue have acquired a bluish tint;
• lack of appetite and weight loss;
• vomiting, loose stools;
• cardiopalmus;
• disorientation in space;
• the animal behaves apathetically;
• an unnatural posture is taken - an elongated neck, legs apart, the animal is not able to take a lying position.

If at least some of the above symptoms are observed in a dog, then you should immediately visit a veterinary clinic.

Features of treatment

In a veterinary clinic, a complete diagnostic examination will be performed to determine the cause of dyspnea. The focus of the examination is primarily on the heart and lungs. Thoracic X-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram are mandatory. Blood pressure is measured, and blood is collected for a detailed biochemical analysis, the level of hormones in the blood.

The veterinarian, having familiarized himself with all the results of the study, will make a diagnosis and only after that will prescribe treatment.

With respiratory dyspnea, the dog's body is supplied with oxygen, further treatment is carried out according to the type of disease.

With rapid breathing, which is caused by disorders of the central nervous system, the diagnosis is carried out similar to a cardiogenic type examination, but it is better to undergo magnetic resonance imaging. If during the postpartum period the dyspnea of ​​the animal does not go away within a day, contact your veterinarian immediately, otherwise the dog may die.

What you need to know! You need to act very quickly when rapid breathing is a manifestation of pneumonia or asthma, because acute shortness of breath proceeds rapidly. Excess fluid accumulation is treated with antihistamines or, in rare cases, steroids.

Anemia is eliminated by regulating the dog's diet and adding a vitamin complex to the diet to increase hemoglobin in the blood.

Preparations

Depending on the diagnosis, the following remedies are used for shortness of breath:

• heart preparations, glycosides (Digoxin - 0.003-0.011 mg / kg every 12 hours, Strofantin-K - intravenously with a solution of 5-10% glucose 0.00005-0.0005 g, Korglikon - 0.1-1.0 ml depending on weight);

  

• drugs that regulate the respiratory system (Gentamicin - 0.6 ml / 10 kg 2 times a day, Ceftriaxone - administered 20-40 mg / kg 1 r. per day);

  

• vasodilators (enalapril - 0.5 mg / kg 1 time per day, Benazepril 0.25-0.5 mg / kg 1 time per day);

  

• painkillers (Ketonal - 1 mg / kg per day; Kaprofen - 0.2-0.4 mg / kg per day);

  

• detoxifiers (Detox - intravenously or subcutaneously at a dose of 1 ml / 10 kg 1 time per day);
• antipyretics (Previcox - 5 mg / kg 1 time per day), anti-shock drugs (Prednisolone - 1 mg / kg 2 times a day; Dexamethasone - 1-1.5 ml / kg intravenously 1 time per day);

  

• blood substitutes and iron-containing solutions (Ferran - 0.2 ml / kg intramuscularly);
• diuretics (Furosemide - 4-8 mg intravenously or intramuscularly every 1-2 hours, Torasemide - 0.2 mg / kg 2 times a day).

  

What you need to know! Shock is a condition that rapidly lowers blood pressure and is accompanied by symptoms characteristic of shock types - rapid breathing. By eliminating the state of shock, you can improve the functioning of the respiratory system. For this, adrenaline therapy, infusion therapy, diuretics, corticosteroids, analgesics are used. A dog with tachypnea (shallow breathing) should be monitored because breathing may not return to normal without medical attention.

First aid for shortness of breath

There are situations when it is not possible to immediately deliver a pet to a veterinarian. The unsatisfactory condition of the dog pushes the owner to provide first aid, without which the animal may die. If the dog's breathing has increased due to stress, then the first action that will benefit is to establish complete rest. The dog should be placed in a well-ventilated room to allow fresh air to flow, but not drafty. Next, be sure to call the veterinarian and do not try to give the pet medication on your own, as this can only complicate the situation and further treatment.

What you need to know! Do not try to forcefully lay, water and feed your pet when he has experienced deep stress. Cool water can develop inflammation, swelling, or air in the lungs because the temperature of the fluid and the temperature of the internal organs are different.

If the condition of the dog allows you to independently transport it to the veterinary clinic, then you should immediately show it to a specialist. The advantage will be that the clinic will immediately diagnose and precious time will not be lost. The specialist will examine the animal and offer to use an oxygen mask to enrich the dog's body with oxygen. If this method of approach proves to be ineffective, then surgical intervention may be performed.

Experienced owners always have a first aid kit, it should appear even when purchasing a puppy. So, in case of problems with the respiratory system, the pet is given emergency aid.

The sequence of actions with rapid breathing:

Therapy at home

When the dog's life is not in danger, you can do without hospitalization and treat it at home. In order for the treatment to be effective, and the pet is on the mend, you must strictly follow the instructions of the veterinarian:

• the dog must have free access to water so that there is no dehydration of the body, it must drink water;
• strictly follow the treatment regimen that was prescribed by the veterinarian;
• regularly bring the pet to the appointment with a specialist;
• do not use drugs that you yourself found in the treatment regimen, this can kill the animal;
• If your pet is breathing rapidly after spaying or other surgery, call your veterinarian. It is better to clarify and obtain information, the consequences, what nature this condition is - the restoration of the body, or signs of complications.

Prevention

The appearance of any disease can be prevented, while you just need to follow the rules and regulations for keeping your pet.

You need to know! Diseases of the pulmonary system mainly appear against the background of an infectious infection, while it does not matter at all - the real development of the disease or the exacerbation of another disease. Therefore, the prevention of respiratory diseases will be to protect the dog from the presence of an infectious environment.

In the spring, dogs may experience an exacerbation of allergic reactions when plants and trees bloom. If during this period the dog felt worse, you should strive to find the cause of the disease and try to eliminate it. Remember, there are no serious pathologies that lead to rapid breathing that can be cured at home without visiting a veterinarian.

Video - About rapid breathing in dogs

The dog's breathing is fast. She breathes for more than 6 hours, as if she ran a kilometer cross.

Answer

Hello! It is worth noting how fast the pet's breathing is. It is considered normal up to 30 breaths per minute. More frequent breathing really signals serious illnesses. It's good that they noticed right away - often people come to the doctor with complaints that the animal is difficult and often breathing for a number of days or weeks!

Reasons can lurk in violations:

• strong pain;
• manifestations of heart failure;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - from swelling to torsion;
• severe disease of the respiratory system - from bronchitis to pneumonia;
• asthma;
• epilepsy;
• nervous excitement;
• heatstroke.

First of all, diseases of the respiratory system are excluded. The dog's body temperature is measured. If the thermometer shows less than 39 degrees, then the reason is different. A high temperature is 100 percent indicative of diseases of the respiratory system.

When contacting a veterinarian, the following occurs:

1. Inspection of the animal;
2. Collection of analyzes;
3. Establishing diagnosis;
4. Purpose of treatment.

Take a look at the dog. If disorientation is detected, heat stroke is evident. Attach a wet towel to the pet's head, give the dog a drink, take it to a cool place. The tongue is bluish in color, fainting is observed - the matter is in the heart. Apply warm heating pads to the paws, cover the dog with a blanket, call a doctor, give an injection of Cordiamin.

Do not self-medicate, saving the dog from a visit to the veterinarian. Ideally, a doctor is called to the house. This is practiced even in provincial cities. It is more difficult in the villages - the dog is taken by car to the city, after making an appointment.

Article read by 1,122 pet owners

Tachypnea (polypnea) - abnormally rapid breathing. Tachypnea, unlike shortness of breath, may not be a sign of a serious illness.

The reasons

There are many reasons for rapid breathing in dogs. They may be as follows:

Problems related to top respiratory tract

• Damage to the nostrils and sinuses (infections, narrowing, inflammation, tumors)
• Soft palate damage
• Diseases of the larynx (swelling, collapse, paralysis, spasm)
• Diseases of the trachea (tumors, collapse, foreign bodies)
• Damage (compression) of the upper respiratory tract (tumors, lymph nodes)

Problems related to lower respiratory tract

Lower respiratory disorders include obstructive diseases and restrictive diseases:

In most cases, tachypnea is not dangerous, but it can also cause serious illnesses that can even be life-threatening. Therefore, tachypnea should not be ignored and should be consulted by a veterinarian.

When your dog is having trouble breathing and you are looking for advice on this subject on the Internet in the forums without knowing what to do, we recommend that you do not self-medicate and experiment on your beloved pet. The fact is that there are many reasons for tachypnea in an animal, and the consequences of your experiment may disappoint you and your family.

Symptoms

• Cough
• Labored breathing
• Blueness of the gums
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• poor appetite
• Excessive thirst or frequent urination
• Vomit
• Diarrhea

Diagnostics

Prior to testing, factors that may be the cause of tachypnea (overheating, stress, excessive exercise) should be considered and eliminated. If tachypnea continues or worsens despite removal of possible causes, the problem should not be ignored and contact your veterinarian immediately. Your doctor may order the following tests:

Treatment

• Where possible, root causes should be identified and eliminated (heat, stress, exertion)
• Symptomatic therapy
• Oxygen therapy if the pet is in serious condition
• Antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs for infectious or inflammatory diseases
• Fluid therapy indicated for dehydration or systemic disease (eg, uremia)

Care and maintenance

Follow all instructions from your veterinarian. Place your pet in a well-ventilated area and protect your pet from stress.

How to call a veterinarian at home?

What questions will need to be answered?
In order to call a veterinarian, you need:

1. Call the operator at the numbers indicated in the section;
2. Tell what happened to the animal;
3. Report the address (street, house, front door, floor) where the veterinarian will arrive;
4. Specify the date and time of the doctor's arrival

Call the veterinarian at home and he will definitely help you.
At home, as they say, walls heal.

Even though dogs can't talk, an attentive owner can always notice changes in the health of their four-legged friend. So frequent breathing of a dog can serve as a signal of a serious illness of the respiratory system or heart. Let's find out why a dog breathes fast.

Why is my dog ​​breathing fast?

The normal breathing rate for a dog is about 10-30 breaths per minute. This indicator depends on the weight, age and sex of the dog. Therefore, rapid breathing of the dog during the rest period should cause concern to the owner. In order to set the number of respiratory movements (frequency), you need to count the inhalations or exhalations in 1 minute, for this you need to put your hand on the dog's chest.

The dog breathes heavily and often for the following reasons: pain syndrome, heat stroke, expansion (bloating) and torsion (rotation on its axis) of the stomach, respiratory diseases (pleurisy, bronchitis, pneumonia), asthma, heart failure, convulsive seizures (tetany) during pregnancy and lactation, epilepsy.

Also, breathing in a dog can become more frequent after hard training, especially in the heat, with nervous excitement, at the beginning of childbirth, but in this case this is the norm.

Actions of the owner with frequent breathing of the dog

The actions of the owner to provide first aid to the dog with frequent breathing will depend on the reasons that caused it.

First of all, it is necessary to measure the body temperature of the animal, if it is elevated (more than 39ºС), then rapid breathing may appear as an accompanying symptom of respiratory diseases.

In this case, it is necessary to contact a veterinarian for a thorough examination, testing and prescribing adequate antibiotic therapy. Also, in a hot period, such symptoms, in addition to dysoreintration, are signs of heat stroke. In this case, the owner needs to move the animal to a cool place, wipe the body with water or alcohol, put a wet towel on the head and give the dog a drink, then go to the hospital.

If the body temperature is normal, but rapid breathing is accompanied by shortness of breath and a dry, wheezing cough, then the dog most likely has asthma. It can appear seasonally depending on the flowering of plants. Asthma, especially severe asthma, requires medication, which is determined by the doctor.

If rapid breathing is accompanied by fainting, a bluish color of the tongue, then these are one of the main signs of heart failure.

In such a situation, the owner, before the arrival of the doctor, should: attach heating pads or bottles of warm water to the limbs of the dog, cover it, give an intramuscular injection of cordiamine (every 4-6 hours), and if the animal is aged, then additionally - cocarboxylase.

If frequent breathing in a dog occurs at the end of pregnancy or during feeding, is additionally accompanied by convulsions, clumsiness in movements, you should immediately contact a specialist, as slowing down can lead to the death of the animal.

A timely visit to the doctor will help to start treatment on time and avoid complications.

The dog after childbirth breathes often with an open mouth

If you and your beloved pet are expecting offspring, then you, as the owner, should learn as much as possible about pregnancy and childbirth, as well as possible complications after childbirth. It's great if everything goes smoothly for the dog. However, it is better to be prepared, albeit theoretically, for any sudden situation.

One of the signs that can alert the owner is the rapid breathing of the dog after childbirth (especially if several days have passed). It is important to know why this pathology can develop and how to help your beloved four-legged family member.

Why does a dog breathe often after giving birth

How to understand that the frequency of respiratory movements in a dog is increased? Everything is extremely simple. First, you need to know the norm: on average, it is 10-30 times per minute (look at the “movement” of the ribs, you can put your palm on them). But remember that the smaller the dog, the faster it breathes (and the faster the heart beats).

Secondly, rapid breathing is always superficial (not full chest). The pet can open its mouth, stick out its tongue and breathe noisily. Again, such a symptom is hard not to notice, but why can this happen to an animal after childbirth?

You should know that sometimes rapid breathing after childbirth is the norm. This is due to the fact that there is a contraction of the myometrium (the muscular layer of the uterus) in order to give birth to the placenta ("children's places") and the formation of milk. Usually this state does not last long: about 15 minutes after the birth of the last puppy.

In other cases, rapid breathing may be associated with pathological processes occurring in the dog’s body weakened by childbirth. And it is extremely important for the owner to recognize as soon as possible that something is wrong with their beloved pet. This will allow you to seek qualified veterinary help in time and save the life of a four-legged family member.

• The most common reasons why a dog breathes noisily after childbirth, often with an open mouth, is fear, stress, or elevated body temperature (after all, dogs do not have sweat glands, and the animal “cools down” with the help of the tongue and frequent breathing). However, it should be understood that these are not all reasons. Still quite often there is frequent breathing due to problems with the respiratory system: pulmonary edema, tracheitis or bronchitis, pneumonia, inflammation of the pleura (pleurisy).
• There is another pathology that is already registered in lactating bitches - eclampsia. With it, the dog's concentration of glucose and calcium in the blood drops sharply, which can lead to the so-called milk fever. Convulsions begin, the pet trembles, and then the paws stretch out and become like wood. If the animal is not urgently provided with veterinary care, the pet may die due to asphyxia (suffocation).
• Sometimes rapid breathing may be due to the fact that not all puppies were born. This is especially dangerous if the babies were born dead. If you carefully feel the stomach, you can find out if there are still puppies left inside or if all have already been born.

Be sure to check if there are any other symptoms. It will be a bad sign if a day after childbirth the body temperature rises to 40 degrees, blood discharge, vomiting, weakness, anemia appear, or, conversely, anemia of the skin and visible mucous membranes, and so on. If the dog, in addition to frequent breathing, has any other clinical signs, it is necessary to sound the alarm and urgently call the veterinarian at home or take the animal to the nearest veterinary clinic on your own.

What to do with a dog that breathes fast

If your beloved pet began to breathe often and noisily after childbirth, then you should not self-medicate. Yes, in some cases this condition is normal, the animal is simply very tired, or the process of milk formation is taking place, as well as uterine contraction. However, sometimes rapid breathing is a serious symptom. And delaying the provision of veterinary care can be extremely dangerous for the life of a newly-made mom.

1. In one case, infusion therapy using saline (glucose) and calcium will help. You can put droppers or inject subcutaneously or intramuscularly, provided that the calcium-containing preparation allows this method of administration. For example, calcium chloride is intended exclusively for intravenous administration, otherwise it causes necrosis (death) of tissues. But calcium borogluconate can be administered intramuscularly and subcutaneously.
2. In another case, the use of antihistamines, antibiotics (if inflammation has begun) can help. If the animal is overheated (which often happens in summer or in a very stuffy room), then you can slightly open the window, ventilating the room. Just make sure that there is no draft, otherwise the newly-made mommy, along with the kids, can catch a cold.
3. But remember that any treatment should be prescribed only by a veterinarian after an internal examination of the dog and confirmation of the diagnosis! Sometimes additional examinations are required: donate blood (best for biochemical analysis) and animal urine, ultrasound, ECG, X-ray examination. The more accurately you describe the symptoms (when and how it all started), the easier it will be for the veterinarian to diagnose and prescribe a quick and effective treatment that will save your pet's life.