The dog is breathing with a wheezing heart. Physiological causes of tachypnea. Problems related to the lower respiratory tract

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

Causes

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

Problems associated with top respiratory tract

Damage to the nostrils and sinuses (infections, narrowing, inflammation, tumors)
Damage to the soft palate
Diseases of the larynx (tumor, collapse, paralysis, spasm)
Tracheal diseases (tumors, collapse, foreign bodies)
Damage (compression) of the upper respiratory tract (tumors, lymph nodes)

Problems associated with lower respiratory tract

Lower respiratory tract disorders include obstructive diseases and restrictive diseases:

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

When your dog has breathing problems and you, not knowing what to do, are looking for advice on this topic on the Internet on forums, we recommend not to self-medicate or 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
Blue gums
Fatigue
Weight loss
Poor appetite
Excessive thirst or frequent urination
Vomit
Diarrhea

Diagnostics

Before starting tests, factors that may cause tachypnea (overheating, stress, excessive physical exertion) should be considered and eliminated. If tachypnea continues or progresses despite removal of possible causes, it should not be ignored. this problem and contact your veterinarian immediately. Your doctor may order the following tests:

Treatment

If possible, the underlying causes (heat, stress, strain) should be identified and eliminated.
Symptomatic therapy
Oxygen therapy if the pet is in serious condition
Antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications for infectious or inflammatory diseases
Fluid therapy is indicated for dehydration or systemic diseases(eg uremia)

Care and maintenance

Follow all directions from your veterinarian. Place your pet in a well-ventilated place 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 to:

Call the operator at the numbers specified in the section;
Tell what happened to the animal;
Provide the address (street, house, front door, floor) where the veterinarian will arrive;
Specify the date and time of the doctor’s arrival

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

An attentive owner will definitely suspect something is wrong when the dog’s breathing changes. Its increase and severity are probably accompanied by other, more serious symptoms, which are not always noticeable at first glance. So, let's learn about what a change in a dog's breathing pattern means.

Features of the respiratory process in dogs

Your tailed friend's breathing may change throughout the day. If he is calm and healthy, he breathes through his nose. After jogging outside, the dog begins to breathe through its mouth, while sticking its tongue out to increase heat transfer from the body.

When a dog sleeps, his breathing changes. It becomes heavier and you feel snoring. In such situations, owners should not worry about their pets. In fact, the change in breathing is temporary, the same as in humans.

You can suspect something wrong if the dog is breathing heavily suddenly, or if it happens periodically. But especially striking changes in the respiratory process occur after physical activity. In this case, you need to control your breathing. So, the breathing norm for young dogs is 20-35 breaths per minute. For an adult healthy dog this is 10-30 breaths, and for the old one - 14-16. In many ways, the number of breaths depends on the size of the animal. Representatives large breeds they take fewer breaths per minute, while decorative breaths take more.

What is the cause of difficulty breathing?

If you notice a change in normal process breathing of a dog, then there is probably more than one explanation for this. Here are the reasons for this phenomenon:

The dog is overheated may have suffered heatstroke.
The dog is in a state of nervous excitement. This may happen when she travels for the first time public transport, sitting by the door veterinary doctor, in a word, in a place unfamiliar to her.
She has mechanical damage, which you cannot see. We are talking about bruises, injuries, falls, the consequences of fights with other dogs.
An incipient heart attack. This is typical for old dogs that are overheated.
Pregnancy. The bitch begins to breathe heavily before giving birth.
Lactation. If children suck too much mother's milk, there are a lot of them, then it becomes much harder for the mother to breathe.
Pulmonary edema and airway obstruction.
Dilatation of the stomach, its torsion.
Difficult birth with a large litter or stillbirth puppies.
Asthma. In this case, in addition to the respiratory rate, shortness of breath, whistling and dry cough will be observed. The condition may be a reaction to plant flowering and may be seasonal.
Cold. Pleurisy, bronchitis, pneumonia in such situations are accompanied by an increase in temperature.
Heart attack and heart failure. Signs of heart problems, in addition to changes in breathing patterns, include a blue tongue and fainting.
Polyps in the nasopharynx, tumors. They change character respiratory process, interfere with him. Their presence is determined by the characteristic grunting of the animal, snoring in its sleep.

How to help a dog?

If after giving birth the bitch is breathing heavily, then it is quite possible that there are still one or two fetuses left in the uterus. In this case, the animal needs help from a veterinarian, and urgently. When is it frequent and hard breath observed in a nursing bitch, and her movements become uncoordinated, then most likely this is eclampsia. It is characterized by a decrease in blood glucose and calcium. If you don't provide medical care, then everything can end in collapse and death of the animal. Take him to the clinic immediately or call a veterinarian.

In the summer, many dogs like to lie in the sun and overheat. Then their breathing becomes heavy and frequent. In this situation, you need to give the animal water, put it in the shade, and do not force it to eat. It is normal for a dog to refuse food after overheating. At heatstroke the dog may be disoriented. Then you just need to wipe it off cold water, you need to put a cold towel on your head.

If there are signs of heart failure, the dog has lost consciousness, then you urgently need to call a veterinary specialist at home. While you are waiting for him, apply a heating pad to his paws and cover the animal. The dog needs to be given injections of cordiamine intramuscularly every 4-6 hours. If the dog is old, then cocarboxylase.

In any case of difficulty breathing, your pet should be examined by a specialist.

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! Need to know that external breathing 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 it's already underway more detailed classification:

respiratory;
cardiogenic;
pathologies of the central nervous system.

Respiratory

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

The catalysts for this type of shortness of breath are:

mechanical damage, for example, fracture chest;
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 a foreign object stuck in the respiratory tract.

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 (according to vicious circle) 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 your breathing is out of whack 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:

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.
Rub your back, chest and ears vigorously.
Enter an immunostimulant (Gamavit or another), determining the dose according to the instructions. The solution is injected into 4 paws (intramuscularly).
If potassium chloride is available, administer 3-15 ml intravenously (based on the size of the dog). This injection is given very slowly and carefully.
IN extreme cases(if you can) do it indoor massage hearts.

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 more severe patients sentences to artificial ventilation or operates.

Dyspnea is a breathing disorder and a physiological response to oxygen starvation body, manifested by frequent, compressed, jerky breaths with an open mouth. Dog breathing open mouth may have completely understandable reasons that do not threaten the life and health of the pet. Severe shortness of breath in a dog, which is pathological in nature, is a consequence of the disease and an accompanying syndrome.

Important! All diseases causing severe shortness of breath It is impossible to diagnose, much less cure, exclusively at home. If detected alarming symptoms- Be sure to contact your veterinarian.

In a global sense, the causes of shortness of breath in dogs can be divided into several groups.

Respiratory– diseases, injuries, infections, disruption of internal organs. Necessary: first aid, symptomatic relief, oxygen therapy, extensive treatment.

Pathology of the central nervous system– disruption of brain function, hematomas, cysts, tumors, electrical injuries. Reliable way diagnostics - MRI, in the absence of equipment, an algorithm, as for cardiogenic nature.

Metabolic disorders– toxins that are not removed from the body have a detrimental effect on circulatory system(diabetes), genitourinary system (toxicosis due to renal failure), liver (insufficient purification and enrichment of blood). Special group risk, complications after piroplasmosis. It is necessary to do blood and urine tests, ultrasound, and liver tests.

Read also: Rickets in dogs and puppies: symptoms and treatment of growing pains

Physiological– obesity, low endurance due to violation of maintenance standards.

Shortness of breath after childbirth, the phenomenon is acceptable, but it should not be accompanied by fever, postpartum blood loss, vomiting, or loss of coordination. If the birth was difficult and shortness of breath persists for more than a day, consult a doctor immediately. If left untreated, all causes of chronic postpartum dyspnea lead to death.

Anemia– oxygen starvation of all tissues due to an insufficient number of red blood cells (), shortness of breath is observed when the dog is at rest. Treatment includes adjusting the diet, identifying metabolic abnormalities, and a therapeutic course of vitamins and microelements.

– danger, fight, threat to the life of the owner is accompanied by the production of stimulating hormones. Rapid breathing Open mouth stimulates the heart muscle and blood flow rate. Severe stress should not be taken lightly; the dog must be reassured, isolated in a cool room, kept close at all times, rhythmically stroking the chest, and wiped with a dry towel if the fur feels damp to the touch.

If the cause of shortness of breath is stress, the dog should not be forced down, forced to drink or eat. Refusal to lie down may be due to the lungs being overfilled with oxygen; putting the animal down forcibly can provoke rupture of the lung tissue. Even if the dog is very hot and refuses to drink, do not insist; a sharp contrast in the temperature of the water and internal organs can cause collapse of the lungs, the development of pneumonia, and edema.

Important! Development secondary symptoms– cyanosis, fainting, loss of coordination, pain, aggression, coughing, wheezing, vomiting, spitting up blood require immediate veterinary intervention, including surgery.

Pekingese, pugs, bulldogs, and sometimes Shar-Peis breathe with their mouths open when walking and even while sleeping. The deviation has no pathological basis and is associated with an initially defective structure of the nasopharynx. Breeds with flat noses not only experience shortness of breath, but also... Naturally, treatment in this case is not required, however, close monitoring of the dog’s health is important. An upturned nose and a runny nose are exactly the case when a harmless cold turns into serious breathing problems.

Types of shortness of breath in dogs

A dog that has undergone severe physical stress opens its mouth to quick recovery strength After a walk, where the pet ran for fetch and played with other animals, fatigue and mouth breathing are absolutely normal phenomenon. Shortness of breath in a dog calm state the symptom is alarming, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the state of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

Expiration– short inhalation and heavy, drawn-out exhalation, often incomplete. Wheezing and wheezing may occur. Indicates narrowing lower section bronchi, possible causes are asthma, bronchitis.

Inspiration– a sharp short or heavy drawn-out breath. Possible reasons– swelling of the respiratory tract, including the lungs, trauma, exposure foreign object.

Mixed type – acute condition, inhalation and exhalation are difficult, attempts to breathe are accompanied by strangled sounds, spasms, and coughing. Possible causes – acute inflammatory process, pulmonary edema, progressive pneumonia.

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 for difficulty breathing, including physical activity and various diseases 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 of internal organs and systems, disorders of their functioning, various injuries, infections, as well as foreign objects entering the respiratory tract. Respiratory shortness of breath can be caused by diseases such as pleurisy, pneumonia, tumors in the respiratory tract, fracture, chest contusion, and fluid accumulation 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, painful shock, high temperature, obesity.

Representatives of certain breeds are prone to shortness of breath due to the structure of their muzzle - pugs, bulldogs, Pekingese. Flattened nose and tissue position 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 is observed for more than 24 hours and is accompanied 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, spitting blood, etc.), appeal to veterinary clinic must also be immediate.

What signs are characteristic

If your pet is cheerful and active, plays and runs a lot, then he will experience shortness of breath after physical activity- a 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:

Expiration (short inhalation and long heavy exhalation). Probable Causes- bronchitis, asthma.
Inspiration (heavy or sharp short breath). Possible causes are pulmonary edema, foreign body in the respiratory tract, injury.
Mixed type (both inhalation and exhalation are difficult). Manifested 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 it is required artificial ventilation lungs, closed lung massage 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. Indicated in heart failure combination treatment, including the supply of oxygen, taking 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.