Causes of difficulty breathing in dogs. Rapid breathing in a dog: causes, treatment, what to do

Respiratory distress syndrome, often called wheezing, is relatively common in dogs. Moreover, this problem is quite serious, since it causes a deterioration in the oxygen supply to organs and tissues. A dog's rapid breathing is often associated with fluid accumulation (edema) in the lungs or chest cavity (pleural effusion).

What causes this pathology to occur? The reasons are quite varied:

• Heart disease or heart failure.
• Lung disease.
• Tumors in the lung or airways.
• Infections leading to the development of pneumonia.
• Obstructions that block the airways.
• Injury.
• Hemothorax (bleeding into the chest).
• Hydrothorax (respectively, accumulation of fluid in the chest).
• After surgery, when the animal “recovers” from anesthesia.

Unlike cats, which are much more “uniform” in this matter, dogs have many breeds that are characterized by specific predisposing factors for shortness of breath:

• Brachycephalic breeds are very predisposed to a whole “bouquet” of diseases of the upper respiratory tract(many are congenital). They often have very narrowed nostrils and an elongated soft palate, so that they physically cannot breathe normally. If your dog has rapid breathing and heart rate, he may be stressed, anxious, or have a fever due to illness.

• Boxers are prone to tumors that arise near the heart, and they also have a high incidence of lung cancer.

• Large and giant breeds (such as Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes) are predisposed to and congestive heart failure (CHF).

• Dogs small breeds predisposed to tracheal collapse and chronic bronchitis. In addition, they are often diagnosed with mitral valve defects.

• Toy dogs also often suffer from tracheal collapse.

Read also: The dog is choking and grunting, wheezing, coughing

The most “normal” dogs in this regard are medium breeds. So, rapid breathing in a dog of the “lover” variety, it is most often explained by the fact that he is tired or excited. Some congenital pathologies they practically never have it. Of course, rapid breathing in a dog before giving birth is absolutely normal, since all other mammals, including primates (which includes us), behave absolutely similarly.

In general, it is important to understand that shortness of breath can also be physiological! So, if a dog has rapid breathing after giving birth, then, as a rule, there is no need to worry. It’s just that in this case the body suffered a very serious load from which it is recovering. There is also no need to worry too much when breathing becomes faster after anesthesia. The animal's body is recovering from the surgery and stress, and it requires more oxygen.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Of course, if a dog has trembling and rapid breathing, it is quite difficult not to notice, but the most serious cases are those when a whole complex of symptoms is observed:

• Cough.
• Labored breathing.
• Weight loss.
• Fatigue.

If you notice all of this in one “set”, we advise you to immediately take your pet to an experienced veterinarian, as delay can result in extremely serious consequences. IN veterinary practice To determine the causes of shortness of breath, the following methods are practiced.

Often, attentive pet owners notice that their pet has begun to have breathing problems - the dog is breathing heavily, grunting, wheezing and coughing. What to do in such cases and how to provide first aid to the dog?

Problem

Short-term or constant shortness of breath in a dog is a disruption in the rate of breathing, its depth and rhythm. This clinical picture is nothing more than a protective reaction of the body, with the help of which it replenishes the oxygen deficiency in the lungs. This serious violation is expressed in difficulty breathing when inhaling or exiting; it can be observed at any time.

If the animal has heart failure, shortness of breath significantly interferes with normal blood circulation. Accumulating in the lungs, the liquid provokes a cough, and the dog begins to wheeze.

There are many reasons that contribute to difficulty breathing, including physical exercise, and various diseases of the body. Therefore, to diagnose the disease, you need to understand the reasons that provoked it.

Causes

For ease of diagnosis, the causes of shortness of breath are divided into three volumetric blocks:

• respiratory;
• cardiogenic,
• pathologies of the central nervous system.

The first group includes diseases internal organs and systems, disruption of their operation, various injuries, infections, as well as entry of a foreign object into the respiratory tract. Respiratory shortness of breath can be caused by diseases such as pleurisy, pneumonia, tumors in the respiratory tract, fracture, bruise chest, accumulation of fluid in the chest.

The second group includes cardiovascular problems and circulatory disorders. Cardiogenic shortness of breath is promoted by pulmonary edema, which develops against the background of weakening of the heart muscle. As a rule, the dog has a heart defect, chronic or acute heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and anemia.

Causes belonging to the third group: malignant and benign neoplasms brain, previous head injuries, electrical injuries, hematomas, metabolic disorders and, as a consequence, diabetes, as well as diseases genitourinary system and liver due to the presence of toxins in the blood. Shortness of breath can also often be caused by severe stress, pain shock, high fever, obesity.

Representatives individual breeds have a tendency to shortness of breath due to the structure of their muzzle - pugs, bulldogs, Pekingese. A flattened nose and the position of the tissues of the soft palate prevent them from breathing fully, inhaling and exhaling air.

Such dogs snore and make a characteristic whistle constantly, even when sleeping. This creates additional stress on the respiratory system, so these breeds most often experience stress, increased temperature, and inflammation, which can lead to serious complications, even death.

Sometimes shortness of breath is observed in dogs that have recently given birth and goes away within 24 hours, but if difficulty breathing lasts more than 24 hours and is accompanied by severe blood loss, loss of coordination, vomiting and hyperthermia, you should promptly call a veterinarian.

Whatever the reason provokes shortness of breath, if the animal has secondary signs(cyanosis, fainting states, coughing, coughing up blood, etc.), contacting a veterinary clinic should also be done immediately.

What signs are characteristic

If your pet is cheerful and active, plays and runs a lot, then the appearance of shortness of breath after physical activity - normal phenomenon. After some time, the dog will catch his breath and his breathing will return to normal. Shortness of breath, which manifests itself in a calm state, should be alarming. It comes in three types:

1. Expiration (short inhalation and long heavy exhalation). Probable Causes- bronchitis, asthma.
2. Inspiration (heavy or sharp short breath). Possible reasons- pulmonary edema, foreign body in the respiratory tract, injury.
3. Mixed type (both inhalation and exhalation are difficult). Occurs due to pneumonia cardiovascular failure, acute inflammatory process.

The following symptoms are typical for shortness of breath:

• the dog breathes with difficulty, making a huge effort;
• with the mouth closed, breathing is impossible;
• wheezing and whistling, strangled sounds are distinguishable;
• mucous membranes turn pale or become cyanotic;
• coughing.

The dog’s behavior also changes, it becomes restless, then indifferent to everything that happens around. You can often notice how she takes a strange pose: she stretches out and spreads her front legs wide.

How to give a dog first aid

If you notice that your pet's condition is rapidly deteriorating (he has turned blue, is breathing heavily, and is sticking out his tongue), you need to help him. The first thing you should do is put the animal in a separate room, providing it with complete rest. The room should be cool, often ventilated, but without drafts.

However, if the dog does not want to lie down, then it is useless to insist, as is trying to force him to drink water - these actions can lead to the opposite result.

Call the veterinarian and describe your dog's condition in detail. Before the doctor arrives, you can give the dog crushed suprastin (with a weight of 5-8 kilograms - half a tablet), this will relieve swelling. Next you should massage the chest, back, abdomen and ears. If possible, you can inject the immunostimulant “Gamavit” into all four paws in equal doses.

For severe clinical picture The doctor will have to saturate the animal’s body with oxygen using an oxygen mask. In some cases, artificial ventilation is required, indoor massage lungs or surgery.

How to treat

You need to understand that difficulty breathing in itself is not a disease, but a symptom of a certain illness, therefore treatment will be aimed at eliminating the disease that caused shortness of breath. For example, if a foreign body enters the respiratory tract and thereby causes obstruction, the veterinarian removes the object and then performs ventilation or intubation.

For anemia, diet correction and vitamin therapy are carried out. For heart failure, combined treatment is indicated, including oxygen supply, Nitroglycerin, Corvalol and diuretics.

In some cases, a specialist performs thoracentesis (removing fluid accumulated in the chest).

For the health of puppies and adult dogs experiencing breathing problems due to physiological characteristics nasopharynx, it is necessary to conduct careful monitoring, since for them even the most harmless cold can be fraught with serious complications.

The heart is the pump that pumps blood throughout the body. Blood contains vital nutrients, including oxygen and hormones that regulate body functions. Proper blood circulation is also necessary to remove waste products, including carbon dioxide. Poor heart function compromises the function of all other organs.

May indicate heart disease following signs:

- cough and shortness of breath;

- drowsiness and weakness;

- fainting;

- weight loss;

- growth retardation;

- bluish gums;

- distended abdomen and swollen joints;

- irregular and/or constantly rapid pulse;

- palpable vibrations of the heart.

Congestive heart failure. Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to transport oxygenated blood in sufficient quantities to meet the body's needs. The term "congestive" is used when fluid, arising from the normal compensatory mechanisms that support the cardiovascular system, collects outside the vessels. If it collects in the lungs, then coughing and shortness of breath occur. Dogs with congestive heart failure are less able to tolerate exercise. and in some cases their abdomen may be distended with fluid. Sometimes the limbs swell. The veterinarian may listen to the heart and may detect abnormal sounds and fluid in the lungs. X-ray analysis and an electrocardiogram may be required for a complete diagnosis. Medicines can make the heart contract harder and help the body release accumulated fluids. Also helps reduce fluid accumulation salt-free diet, and limiting physical activity reduces the load on the heart.

Acquired heart diseases

Cardiomyopathy. Dilated (congestive) cardiomyopathy is a disease that especially affects large and very large breeds and usually develops between the first and sixth years. The heart muscle weakens and atrophies, causing blood to flow slowly, resulting in overall congestive heart failure. The heart itself greatly enlarges and becomes prone to arrhythmias. In such cases, some heartbeats may not eject blood and create a pulsation. TO signs of cardiomyopathy include fatigue, cough, distended abdomen, weight loss, sometimes swollen limbs and fainting. Medicines can help prolong a dog's life, but not for long because they cannot reverse the changes in the heart itself.

Chronic valve disease is one of the most common forms of heart disease in dogs. By unknown reason the valves between the blood-pumping chambers thicken and cannot fit tightly. allowing the blood to seep back out. Little by little, the heart loses its ability to properly pump blood throughout the body, and heart failure gradually develops. Signs of this are. cough, difficulty or noisy breathing, restlessness at night. A heart murmur can usually be detected. dog with chronic disease valves that shows clinical signs should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Congenital heart diseases

Defect interventricular septum - This is an opening in the muscular wall that separates the two main cavities of the heart that pump blood. This hole is usually small and does not affect great influence on general circulation, but it can extend almost the entire length of the interventricular septum and cause signs of heart failure. The abnormal blood flow caused by this defect creates a heart murmur. Some institutes are trying to eliminate this defect surgically.

Uninfected ductus arteriosus. The fruit is short and wide arterial vessel, which connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta and carries the main flow of blood from the right ventricle directly to the aorta, bypassing the lungs. Soon after birth, this vessel closes naturally. If this does not happen, then they say that there is an uninfected ductus arteriosus. This is one of the most common birth defects hearts in dogs. This anomaly is indicated by characteristic heart murmurs. The only one effective treatment is surgical closure of this duct.

Stenosis (narrowing) of the pulmonary artery. This defect occurs when the blood flow between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery is disrupted, which leads to an increase in the load on the heart and can lead to heart failure. Heart murmurs are heard in dogs with stenosis. Some types of stenosis can be partially eliminated surgically.

Cardiac cough in dogs: what is it?

A dog's cough is not a disease, but a symptom indicating that it is time to pay attention to the pet's health. It is especially important to respond in a timely manner if your dog develops a heart cough. Read our article about how to recognize this type of cough in a dog and alleviate its manifestations.

Cough, regardless of its etiology, is a protective reflex. arising in the body as a reaction to irritation of specific cough zones of the trachea and bronchi.

Not in all cases, cough is a symptom of a respiratory disease. Its appearance may be caused internal cause- that is, diseases bordering on respiratory system organs. So, characteristic symptom Cardiac disease is a characteristic cardiac cough in dogs.

Causes of cardiac cough

A cardiac cough in a dog is a symptom of heart pathology, most often heart failure. With this and some other diseases, the heart increases in size and compresses the trachea. Cough receptors located on the trachea send a signal to the dog’s brain, and the animal coughs, despite the fact that it has no real need to clear the respiratory system of mucus and foreign bodies.

The most common warning sign of a heart cough in a dog is shortness of breath, occurring during physical activity. Animals over six years of age and large dogs are most susceptible to pathological changes in the heart and the resulting cough. fighting breeds. Treatment of cardiac cough in dogs is aimed at stopping or alleviating the manifestation of this symptom and, as a rule, is difficult due to its chronic nature.

How to recognize a heart cough in a dog

Any type of cough is alarming symptom and requires consultation with a specialist. However, even before contacting a veterinary clinic, certain assumptions can be made regarding the etiology of the cough. A cardiac cough in a dog is characterized by:

dull, “uterine” sound;

a gradual increase in intensity as the heart disease progresses;

absence of discharge (sputum) or bloody discharge(in advanced cases);

attacks that are painful for the animal, in which it seems as if the dog is choking and cannot clear its throat.

Diagnostics

By external manifestations we can only make a preliminary conclusion about the real reason dog cough. If a dog is suspected of having a cardiac cough, an ultrasound scan is prescribed. Provides the most accurate data ultrasonography hearts on a device with the Doppler effect. Dopleography will allow you to assess the nature of blood movement by blood vessels and identify pathology.

Treatment of cardiac cough in dogs

It is important to begin treatment for cardiac cough on time, since this symptom only aggravates the course of the underlying disease and provokes further development pathology. This type of cough is treated with specific therapy aimed at relieving the symptom or reducing the intensity of its manifestation.

Complex treatment of heart failure and accompanying cough is carried out with the help of drugs (riboxin, corvaldin, kratal, antitussive children's mixtures), vitamin therapy, diet and dosing of physical activity. A qualified specialist must select treatment for your dog.

Heart failure in older dogs. Worried about your heart?

Worried about your heart?

VETERINARY CLINIC “BEST FRIEND”

Heart failure in dogs.

Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome, arising as a result of any structural or functional disorders, which impair the ability of the heart's ventricles to fill or eject blood.

Heart failure most often develops under the influence of adverse effects environment, serious illnesses various systems organs, stress, and congenital heart defects or as a result of heartworm infection.

Heart failure is divided into three categories:

1. Acute heart failure

2. Age-related heart failure

3. Chronic heart failure.

Acute heart failure (collapse).

Occurs and develops in dogs:

- after large blood loss,

- in case of poisoning and infectious diseases,

- in elderly and elderly dogs suffering from heart disease.

Signs:

— the dog is lethargic,

- lies down, making no attempt to get up,

- breathing is shallow and frequent,

- mucous membranes of the lips and eyelids are very pale,

- pulse cannot be felt.

Do not forget that if the first signs of the disease appear, there is no need to postpone your visit to veterinary clinic .

First veterinary aid for a pet assistance that a dog owner can provide:

Immediately apply heating pads or bottles of water to the dog’s limbs. warm water, -cover the dog, -inject cordiamine intramuscularly, every 4-6 hours,

- if the animal is old, then it is necessary to additionally introduce cocarboxylase,

- Contact your veterinarian immediately for further treatment.

Age-related heart failure (senile heart).

Age-related changes in dogs occur gradually and do not make themselves felt until the first serious attack or breakdown; this fully applies to the development of age-related heart failure - senile heart. Therefore, such a diagnosis can be quite unexpected for the dog owner and is often made in cases where he goes to the veterinary clinic for a completely different reason.

And although senile heart is translated as senile heart, the first signs of the disease in a dog can appear as early as 5-6 years old and, conversely, be absent at an older age.

The first signs of heart weakness are not always pronounced and specific, so it is important for the dog owner to pay attention to the symptoms of this disease, especially its earliest manifestations.

It starts with a decrease in stamina. those. rapid breathing appears with less than usual load, it takes more time to recover from the usual exercise. Such changes in condition usually occur episodically. and are written off by the owner due to the heat. change in pressure or any other external reason.

At this stage of the disease, the veterinarian and the dog owner have a good opportunity to maintain the functioning of the heart for a long time and effectively, preventing the disease from developing. This requires a diet, regulation of physical activity and the appointment of gentle biotherapy. As a rule, this is a combination of one or two complex homeopathic medicines and one isopathic agent. which are prescribed in a monthly course, which is repeated 2 - 3 times a year.

Shortness of breath after a normal walk becomes too long, and after eating or drinking, coughing is sometimes noted. These symptoms may spontaneously and unpredictably disappear and reappear because at this stage of the disease the dog’s body is still able to compensate (albeit temporarily) for the developing heart weakness.

Treatment of the second stage of heart failure has the same basis. as in the first stage. but the duration of each course increases to 1.5 - 2 months. In addition to this course, one or more fetal cardiac medications are included in the form of injections or tablets (this depends on the individual sensitivity of the dog).

After regular exercise and even after short walks, the dog’s shortness of breath does not go away for a long time, and in dogs dwarf breeds- any emotion causes coughing attacks. This stage indicates advanced heart disease and there is no longer any hope for spontaneous compensation in this case. At this stage, heart failure first of all seriously affects those organs that need a stable and complete blood supply - the brain, kidneys and lungs. And as a result, with severe cardiac weakness, brain, kidney or pulmonary failure often develops.

This stage of the disease requires careful and comprehensive examination dogs, identifying all pathological changes caused by chronic heart failure and prescription active therapy. The duration of treatment is most often not limited in time, but is carried out as long as it is possible to maintain relatively normal work hearts. The course of treatment includes fetal polyvalent drugs, cardiac and complex homeopathic remedies With wide range actions carried out full course symbiotic therapy. This complex treatment gives a pronounced synergistic (total) effect and allows the dog to feel comfortable for a long time.

The pet has difficulty moving, shortness of breath does not go away even at rest, and visible mucous membranes acquire a persistent pale or bluish tint. These symptoms are extremely serious condition pet. in which even the most modern and carefully selected treatment can lead to only minor and temporary relief.

The course and principle of treatment is similar to the 3rd stage of heart failure. however, it is quite rare to achieve a noticeable improvement; a pet may feel better, but these changes are short-term and unstable, because in such advanced cases conservative treatment no longer gives the desired effect and is not able to influence the process, which is considered irreversible.

Chronic heart failure in domestic animals.

Chronic heart failure is usually not considered as a separate disease, but is diagnosed as a syndrome that develops as a result various diseases of cardio-vascular system(manifested by shortness of breath, cough, palpitations, limitation physical activity and retention of sodium and water in the body), as a complication of any heart disease (myocardial ischemia, arterial hypertension, heart defects, etc.), as well as lungs, liver, kidneys, a number of endocrine diseases: diabetes mellitus, diseases thyroid gland, obesity, etc.

Chronic heart failure develops long before manifestation clinical symptoms. This process is irreversible in most cases, and it is very important to know about this when predicting the course of the disease.

Therefore, information about chronic heart failure in domestic animals will be presented in more detail in a separate topic.

Victoria Kozlova.

The placement of the material is approved by experts veterinary clinic"Best friend"

ABOUT serious problems Shortness of breath in a dog, which occurs during slight physical exertion or at rest, is a sign of health. If your breathing becomes faster after a long run or weight training, there is no need to worry.

Symptoms of shortness of breath

As a rule, breathing is disrupted in three parameters at once (frequency, depth and rhythm) - this is how the body signals a lack of oxygen.

Signs of respiratory failure:

• noticeable effort on inhalation or exhalation;
• the appearance of additional sounds (wheezing, whistling);
• open mouth breathing;
• excitement followed by depression;
• unusual posture (an anxious animal stretches its neck and spreads its front paws, but cannot lie down);
• paleness or cyanosis of the gums and lips.

Important! You need to know that external respiration is closely related to the activity of the circulatory system: that is why failure of breathing always leads to increased work of the heart muscle.

Causes of shortness of breath in dogs

They are grouped into 3 large categories, within which there is a more detailed classification:

• respiratory;
• cardiogenic;
• pathologies of the central nervous system.

Respiratory

These are injuries, diseases (including infectious ones), as well as dysfunctions of internal organs.

The catalysts for this type of shortness of breath are:

• mechanical damage, for example, chest fracture;
• pneumonia;
• pleurisy;
• neoplasms (benign/malignant);
• fluid accumulated in the sternum.

Shortness of breath of a respiratory nature does not always indicate that the body has pathological process. Sometimes the culprit is foreign object, stuck in the airways.

Breathing problems also occur with anemia, when all tissues of the dog’s body do not receive enough oxygen. With low hemoglobin levels, it is difficult for a dog to breathe even in a state of complete rest.

Cardiogenic

This group includes all reasons associated with weak hearted or improper blood circulation. This kind of shortness of breath occurs when walking (the animal often sits down/lies down, it does not have enough air) and running (in the vast majority of cases, running is impossible).

Cardiogenic dyspnea is caused by various ailments, including:

• heart failure (acute or chronic);
• heart disease;
• cardiomyopathy.

Important! Often, the provocateur of cardiogenic shortness of breath is pulmonary edema, the appearance of which is to blame (in a vicious circle) for the weakness of the heart muscle.

Pathologies of the central nervous system

Certain breeds (called brachycephalics) suffer from shortness of breath due to anatomical structure muzzles. Brachycephalic syndrome is noted in dogs with flattened noses, such as, and. Interference them proper breathing the position of the tissues of the soft palate becomes.

A natural flaw can be superimposed at any time additional factor risk in the form of physical activity, stress, heat or inflammation, ultimately leading to deterioration of health and even death of the dog.

In addition, difficulty breathing due to the fault of the central nervous system often occurs as a complication after:

• hematomas;
• electric shock;
• head injuries;
• brain tumors.

The central nervous system is also to blame for postpartum shortness of breath, which is acceptable and goes away on its own. If difficulty breathing is accompanied by bleeding, fever, loss of coordination and vomiting, urgent help is needed.

Responsibility for respiratory failure is also placed on the central nervous system if the animal has:

• severe stress;
• obesity;
• pain shock;
• high body temperature.

IN stressful situation(a fight, a threat to the life of the owner, any danger) adrenaline (fear), cortisol (anxiety), norepinephrine (rage) and other hormones are released into the blood, causing the heart to contract faster. It is logical that the acceleration of blood flow requires oxygen replenishment - which is why dogs begin to breathe rapidly with their mouths open.

First aid for shortness of breath

If breathing becomes difficult due to strong emotions (stress), the animal should be taken to a cool, quiet place and try to calm it down. When the coat is wet, wipe it soft cloth, not forgetting to stroke the chest.

Important! A dog that has experienced deep stress should not be put down and forced to eat/drink against its will. Drinking cold water can cause pneumonia, swelling or collapse of the lungs (due to the difference in water temperature and “hot” internal organs).

If it is impossible to put the dog down, do not insist: perhaps his lungs are oversaturated with oxygen, and lying down threatens to rupture the lung tissue. If shortness of breath is caused by other reasons, the influx fresh air and peace won't hurt either ( open window, fan, split system).

Experienced dog breeders, especially those whose pets have difficulty breathing, have medications for emergency assistance. Approximate algorithm:

1. Give any decongestant medicine, for example, Suprastin at the rate of half a tablet per 5-8 kg of dog weight. It is crushed and rubbed under the tongue.
2. Rub your back, chest and ears vigorously.
3. Enter an immunostimulant (Gamavit or another), determining the dose according to the instructions. The solution is injected into 4 paws (intramuscularly).
4. If there potassium chloride, administer 3-15 ml intravenously (based on the size of the dog). This injection is given very slowly and carefully.
5. IN extreme cases(if you know how) do a closed heart massage.

If there is noticeable deterioration, you will need a doctor. Call him at home or take the dog to the clinic. To restore breathing, the doctor removes foreign bodies, applies an oxygen mask, and sentences more severe patients to artificial ventilation or surgery.