What are the signs of respiratory distress in a dog?
Some of the symptoms of respiratory distress in dogs can be quite startling. Again, if you are at all worried about blockages, a cough or any resistance in breathing with your dog, please make an appointment with a vet – or use your email address to sign up for online consultation services and relevant information with a trusted veterinarian website. A website of this kind could be available from many veterinarian centres in the United States.
There are a few tell-tale signs of respiratory distress, if your pet exhibits any of the following, it may be worth contacting a vet in the ways mentioned above.
One of these signs is problems within the bark of your dog. This symptom can take a few forms. It could involve a slight catch, or crack in the bark of the dog, maybe sounding like the noise is getting caught in the airways of the animal.
There are also noises it might make when it is in bed, while it is sleeping. The snoring noises your dog makes at this time if they are suffering from respiratory distress might be scratchier, raspier or interrupted, as if there is not enough room in the dogs nose to breath properly. This could also register as a lack of breath control when sleeping, the more regular breathing of a healthy dog would be replaced with ragged, irregular breathing.
The reverse sneeze is another one of the common symptoms. This is slightly different from a persistent cough, as the reverse sneeze is almost like a loud, broken hiccup from a dog. The breath coming into the dog with that reversed sneeze will sound like it has no proper access into the animal through its nose or mouth, so like the sleeping noises it will catch as it goes in.
This type of sneeze is also known as inspiratory paroxysmal respiration. It occurs when a muscle spasm takes place at the very back of a dog’s mouth, right at the spot where it meets the throat or trachea. This spasm causes a quick narrowing and opening of the trachea, lasting approximately thirty seconds, which can stop the dog from being able to properly breathe and inhale.
Why is my dog making snoring sounds when he’s breathing?
If a dog makes a snoring sound when it is breathing, there is normally something wrong with air access into or through the creature’s windpipe, nasal passages (and nasal cavity) or voice box – so it can often be hard to narrow down.
Often these snoring noises are referred to in the veterinarian community as stertor and stridor. Stertor is the name of the snoring or gasping noise, and stridor is the name for the raspy vibrating sound from exhalation and inhalation.
The first cause we will have a look at here will be that of laryngeal paralysis. This condition occurs in animals most commonly from age. Older and middle aged dogs (roughly nine and a half years old) of a larger breed are the most likely breed and type of pet to develop this condition. This problem affects some of the vocal folds of an animal within a voice box, or “larynx”. When laryngeal paralysis affects these folds, it means they are unable to properly open, obstructing air flow within the throat.
This may also affect some dogs congenitally – meaning that they had i passed down form a family member, and as such they always make a strange noise when they are breathing. These breeds may include a Bouvier de Flanders, Bull Terrier and Dalmatian pup – who could have these breathing issues since they are born.
Other causes of a dog making odd snoring noises while breathing include the following:
A lot of the above causes involve the invasion of foreign bodies that cause blockage to air access in parts of the dog’s throat, breathing tract, mouth, and air passageways. These common foreign bodies include objects that enter through food the pet is not meant to consume (for example the nuts in cookies), live creatures entering through the mouth of the dog, or small material objects inhaled through the nose.
As a result of the size of these blockages, they can often only be identified by x rays performed at the hospital (if a human is affected) or at a local veterinarian centre by a vet, after which some surgery or operation maybe be required to clear airflow access for your pet.
Allergies may be another of the common causes of this kind of respiratory distress – one that manifests as snoring sounds. Often allergies can cause swelling of the throat or or mouth, making the breathing of your dog or dogs more laboured and difficult and reducing the air access even more.
When You Should Be Concerned About Your Dog’s Wheezing
If your dog’s wheezing is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms, it may be indicative of an emergency. Take them to the vet immediately for treatment.
1. Your dog is wheezing and gasping for breath
If your dog is having difficulty taking a breath, it could be a sign of a life-threatening medical emergency such as an allergic reaction or a serious heart condition.
2. Your dog is wheezing and gagging
If your dog is gagging or retching in addition to wheezing, it could be a sign that something is stuck in the windpipe.
3. Your dog is coughing and wheezing
A wheeze accompanied by a cough could indicate an upper respiratory infection, kennel cough, lower airway disease, or a foreign body stuck in the trachea.
4. Your dog is wheezing and showing blue gums or tongue
If your dog is having trouble breathing and is showing blue-ish gums or tongue, they aren’t getting enough oxygen to their lungs and require medical attention immediately.
5. Your dog is wheezing with an accelerated rate of breathing
Wheezing accompanied by a fast rate of breathing could indicate a range of diseases and conditions, such as chronic bronchitis or heart disease.
6. Your dog is wheezing and has no appetite
If your dog is having trouble breathing and isn’t eating food, it can be a sign of infection or another serious condition.
7. Your dog keeps wheezing
If your dog is consistently wheezing with no improvement in symptoms, it warrants a visit to the vet to see if there is an underlying cause.
Breathing issues. Sounds like snoring, but he is awake
Wheezing in dogs occurs when something impairs or blocks the flow of air in the windpipe, causing stridor (a whistling sound). This can be caused by swelling and inflammation in the airways, something getting stuck in the windpipe, or a number of medical issues.1
A few seconds of wheezing is likely nothing to be concerned about, but if your dog is consistently wheezing or the wheezing is accompanied by other symptoms, it could indicate a serious health issue that warrants a visit to the vet.