If your dog having difficulty breathing doesn’t send you to the emergency vet, what would?
Dr. Coates put difficulty breathing as the first one on the list! Dr. Barchas on Dogster puts it first on the list. Dr. Justine Lee, in her article on Pet Health Network, puts it first on the list.
If you had difficulty breathing, would you seek emergency care?
Any time your dog is struggling to breathe, that’s an emergency.
Dr. Andy Roark
Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) is absolutely, most definitely, an emergency.
Definition
Respiratory distress describes labored, difficult breathing or shortness of breath. Did you know that the problem can occur during both breathing in or breathing out?
When a dog is unable to breathe normally, their tissues can suffer from lack of oxygen. The body needs oxygen to live.
Frequently, difficulty breathe is associated with accumulation of fluid in the lungs or chest cavity. Heart failure is a common medical condition that can lead to difficulty breathing.
.. After three minutes without breathing it’s all over. If your dog is having trouble breathing or is “breathing funny,” making alarming noises when he breathes or is puffing his lips when he breathes, you need to get to the vet immediately.
Dr. Eric Barchas, dogster
Potential causes behind difficulty breathing in dogs
Potential causes that can lead to difficulty breathing can be mechanical (obstructions), infectious, inflammatory, or functional (such as lung and heart disease.
- injuries
- infections
- tumors or foreign bodies
- tracheal collapse
- lung disease
- heart failure
- heartworm disease
- lung disease
- fluid in the lungs or chest cavity
- and more
It is a long list all together.
Further information: Overview of Dyspnea (Trouble Breathing) in Dogs
What it might look like
Warning signs might present in different ways:
- labored breathing
- rapid breathing
- abnormal panting
Different medical conditions can come with other accompanying symptoms such as coughing, abdominal distention, fever, and so on.
In any case, regardless of the cause, difficulty breathing is always an emergency.
Related articles:
Dog Symptoms: When Is It an Emergency?
Further reading:
10 Symptoms That You Should Never, Ever Ignore
Overview of Dyspnea (Trouble Breathing) in Dogs