An attentive owner always watches his pet, so he sees any changes in his behavior, for example, he begins to tremble. This may be due to physiological reasons or pathological conditions associated with various diseases. But it is worth noting that if a Yorkie, Chihuahua, Pomeranian or other small breed is trembling, this in most cases is a normal variant that should not cause concern to the owner. In this way they often express fear and may also simultaneously tuck their paws, ears and tail, squeal and even involuntarily urinate.
For owners of pets of other breeds, you should also not immediately sound the alarm, but try to figure out the reasons and eliminate the most harmless options.
- 3 What to do
What should you do if your dog is breathing heavily and frequently, or wheezing for no apparent reason?
When a dog suffocates, the mucous membranes turn pale. Fever is determined by measuring body temperature. When a dog is hot, it breathes with its mouth open to cool itself.
Many dog breeders often ask veterinarians the question: why does an adult or puppy often breathe with its mouth open? In fact, there are different reasons. They can be divided into two groups: physiological (not associated with any disease) and pathological (caused by a disease). If a dog sticks out its tongue and breathes quickly, quickly, the reasons may be as follows.
Tip: If you suspect your dog has an elevated body temperature, do not rely on tactile sensations. A hot nose, ears and mucous membranes are not a guarantee of fever.
The amount of saliva secreted directly depends on the water-salt and electrolyte-water balances in the body. The balance of these balances is influenced by the microelements that the dog receives from food. When these balances are disturbed, the dog produces a lot of saliva. In this case, saliva may drip from the muzzle or the dog may pant with its tongue hanging out to dry its mouth.
When is a visit to the vet necessary?
A visit to a canine doctor is required for animals with the following clinical signs:
When visiting the clinic, your pet will undergo a full examination and diagnostic examination, which will help to understand the cause of the deviation. Identifying diseases at the primary stages of development gives a better chance of recovery. Ignoring obvious symptoms will lead to the pathology becoming chronic, and in worst cases, to the death of the animal.
It is impossible to accurately determine the source of muscle contractions in a pet without diagnostics - the doctor is based not only on visual examination data, but also on the results of laboratory tests. Many owners make the mistake of mistaking pathology for physiological manifestations, wasting precious minutes.
Why is the dog trembling and panting: the most common reasons
Increased breathing during sleep can occur due to diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In addition, if a dog sleeps in an awkward position, its upper palate may recede, which causes both snoring and rapid breathing.
Owners of small dogs, such as the Yorkshire Terrier, often experience rapid breathing. Most often, such dogs are kept as a home pillow or toy.
Important! If the dog is so weak that it cannot stand up, diagnosis and treatment at home is unacceptable.
The dog may tremble when experiencing strong emotions. Most often, trembling occurs due to fear. Heatstroke and fever cause the blood to thicken. Tremor in this case is a natural reaction of the body associated with an attempt to push clotted blood through narrowed vessels.
How to help a dying dog
In some cases, if the dog has been suffering from a chronic disease for a long time, supportive therapy, treatment does not produce any results, the animal is in severe pain, the veterinarian will suggest elective euthanasia . This is an easy, quick and painless death. Euthanasia relieves a pet from physical suffering, minimizes the pain and fear of loss of consciousness that animals experience before death.
Euthanasia is carried out by veterinarians in cases of cancer, the presence of multiple serious injuries incompatible with life (head injuries), as well as in the case of diagnosing incurable infections (rabies, Aujeszky, tuberculosis).
Advice! Whether or not to euthanize a dog is a decision only for the owners. But in many situations this is a more humane method in relation to your beloved dog. It’s really unbearable to watch your pet suffer and you can’t do anything to help him.
To ease your pet's suffering and pain, constantly monitor its behavior. Surround your dog with care and proper care. If the animal dies easily, provide it with peace and quiet. Try not to leave your dog's side. This way the dog will feel more comfortable and calm in the last moments of his life.
Diagnostic methods
Tracheoscopy Diagnosis of the disease is carried out by a veterinarian. The specialist collects anamnesis, examines the larynx, and also prescribes an x-ray examination. If the development of a disease of the respiratory system is suspected, broncho-, tracheo- or laryngoscopy is prescribed. If the veterinarian suspects the presence of tumors in the lungs or other respiratory organs, an x-ray, possibly a tomogram and a biopsy will be required. For infectious diseases, the doctor will prescribe blood and urine tests. To ensure the health of the cardiovascular system, it is necessary to do an ultrasound of the heart.
Consequences of a tube in the throat
After tracheostomy, early complications may occur:
- bleeding;
- subcutaneous emphysema;
- erosive tracheitis with the formation of crusts that clog the lumen of the tracheostomy tube during coughing;
- tracheoesophageal fistula;
- tracheostomy infection;
- immersion of the trachea into the wound.
Late complications of tracheostomy include narrowing of the larynx, changes in voice, narrowing and bedsores of the larynx, and gross cicatricial changes in the skin in the stoma area. With prolonged pressure on the walls of the larynx, ischemic necrosis can develop. Tracheitis may form at the site of cuff pressure.
Causes of rapid breathing in dogs: should you worry?
Mild breathing problems can be quickly resolved without visiting a doctor. What factors may cause an animal to inhale loudly and frequently with its tongue hanging out?
The factors that can cause breathing problems are very extensive, so they need to be considered in more detail.
Signs of normal breathing in pets are a closed mouth and absence of sounds. Under optimal conditions, the animal takes 10-30 breaths per minute.
In some cases, rapid breathing is the norm, as it is inherent in a given breed of dog, such as Labrador, Spitz, etc. Let's look at some of them.
Physiological features of toy terriers
The Toy Terrier is a small (also called “pocket”) dog, with an average height of 20-30 cm and an average weight of 1.5 to 3 kg.
live from 12 to 15 years . These pets are thin-boned, with high legs, square in shape with angular muscles. A wedge-shaped head, a rounded skull and a convex wide forehead are also characteristic features of the breed.
Read more about what Toy Terriers look like here.
To establish proper dog breathing, the transverse cartilaginous half-rings of the trachea provide the necessary rigidity so that the trachea does not collapse during inhalation, and the softer parts ensure its plasticity.
Why does a dog breathe heavily with his tongue hanging out?
What does it mean if an animal is breathing heavily, as if it is suffocating? In such an acute condition, the cause is not as important as prompt assistance. The only exception is suffocation due to a foreign object entering the respiratory tract. In this case, the condition can be stopped only by clearing the airways.
During childbirth, the dog's rapid breathing occurs due to stress and severe pain. Immediately after the birth of the puppies, the condition of the young mother should return to normal. Rapid breathing in nursing dogs after birth, especially in the first two days, is a symptom of postpartum preeclampsia. Eclampsia is considered a life-threatening and rapidly progressive condition.
Puppies at two months of age, under normal circumstances, breathe at a rate of 60-100 times per minute.
Flat-faced animals (such as pugs) often have upper respiratory problems. This is due to the narrow throat and small nostrils. In hot weather it is even harder for them.
Tracheostomy technique
Tracheostomy placement is performed using a tracheostomy instrument kit. It includes a general surgical set (scalpels, hooks, forceps, hemostatic clamps) and special instruments (sharp single-prong Chassaignac hook, blunt single-blade L-shaped Kocher hook, Trousseau tracheal dilator and tracheostomy cannulas).
Tracheostomy is performed under local anesthesia or endobronchial anesthesia. If emergency assistance is provided, the operation can be performed without pain relief. When performing an upper tracheostomy, a vertical incision 6-7 cm long is made strictly along the midline. The skin, subcutaneous tissue and superficial fascia of the neck are incised from the middle of the thyroid cartilage. When performing a transverse tracheostomy, the incision is made at the level of the cricoid cartilage.
After this, the surgeon dissects the linea alba of the neck, the intracervical fascia. The isthmus of the thyroid gland is disconnected from the trachea and pushed downwards. Then, with a single-pronged hook, the larynx is fixed and the cartilages of the larynx are cut. After this, a tube is inserted into the trachea and its patency is checked. The fascia is tightly sutured around the tube and sparse sutures are placed on the skin. The operating nurse secures the tube around the neck with a bandage. When performing a lower tracheostomy, the stages of the operation are the same. The difference between this type of operation and the previous one is the location of the incision. It is performed between the fourth and fifth cartilaginous rings of the trachea.
A special type of tracheostomy is tracheocentesis - percutaneous puncture tracheostomy. It is performed with a thick surgical needle along the midline of the neck under the thyroid cartilage. Percutaneous microtracheostomy is performed by an anesthesiologist at the patient's bedside. The procedure does not require transfer of the patient to the operating room.
Percutaneous tracheostomy has the following advantages over the traditional technique:
- simple execution technique;
- performed under local anesthesia;
- not accompanied by vascular damage;
- low risk of developing infectious complications;
- minimal incidence of stenosis after the procedure.
The small and neat hole after dilation tracheostomy is closed with a less rough scar. When a tracheostomy is performed, the operation protocol is recorded in a special journal.
Cough, wheezing, regurgitation of white foam due to lungworms
When a dog simultaneously coughs, regurgitates white foam and wheezes, this may indicate a helminthic infestation. Parasites can easily move throughout the host’s body, including the esophagus.
When there are too many worms, they can reach the dog's throat, as a result of which he tries to free himself from foreign bodies by coughing and regurgitating. Parasitic larvae can live in a dog's lungs, these are so-called lungworms. In addition to coughing, secretion of white foam and wheezing, when it is infected with helminths, there is an appetite disorder, drowsiness, the coat changes, and blood can be released in the feces.
Worms can be of different types:
- Toxocara and roundworms, which cause toxocariasis and ascariasis;
- Cucumber tapeworm, which causes dipylidia. The dog is worried about intestinal obstruction and itching in the anus;
- Esophageal esophageal worms in dogs are accompanied by coughing and wheezing, vomiting and problems with swallowing food.
Coughing, wheezing and regurgitation are quite common syndromes of a wide range of diseases in dogs, which, even in their entirety, cannot accurately indicate the existing problems. Therefore, it is very difficult to make a diagnosis based on these signs alone. Only an experienced veterinarian can tell why a dog is coughing, as if he was choking, for several days after conducting an appropriate examination. The pet is prescribed tests, examining the upper respiratory tract and pharyngeal area.
What to do if your dog is breathing heavily?
Stress is one of the pathological causes of trembling. With it, the dog cannot cope with its emotions for a long time, which is why it shakes violently for quite a long time.
Tachypnea (rapid breathing) can be caused by being in a tight confined space when the dog does not have enough air. Shortness of breath may occur from fright or overexcitement, especially in puppies and small breeds (Yorkies, Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, etc.).
Therefore, after vaccination, you need to stay in the veterinary clinic for about 30 minutes.
But all these phenomena are normal. But if the dog is breathing frequently and at the same time her breathing is rapid, and she herself is not very active or is generally absolutely calm, there may be problems. Just watch your pet. When a dog is healthy in a calm environment, it does not open its mouth when it breathes and does not make any sounds when breathing (this is, of course, unless it has a special muzzle structure, such as pugs, which can not only snore, but also snore).
What do dogs die from?
The appearance of a pet in the house is not only a joyful, but a responsible event. From the first days, the pet needs proper systematic care, attention, care and love.
Important! The duration and quality of life of our little brothers largely depends on the actions and attitude of the owner and family members towards the animal.
We need to understand that our pets live much shorter lives than people. The average lifespan of a dog is 10-13 years. There are cases where dogs lived up to 17-18 years. But these indicators are individual for each specific animal and the life of a pet can end at any moment.
At the same time, representatives of large, giant, medium breeds can live only 9-11 years, small dogs live 12-14 years. Life expectancy depends not only on the breed, but also on many other reasons (care, health status).
Dogs die:
- from old age;
- viral-bacterial, infectious diseases;
- invasive diseases;
- incurable infections;
- cancer;
- autoimmune, advanced chronic pathologies;
- congenital, genetic abnormalities.
Often the cause of death for dogs is severe injuries, injuries incompatible with life. Puppies, young dogs, unvaccinated pets can die from diseases (viral, bacterial) if treatment is not started in time. However, most diseases of infectious etiology develop at lightning speed, and the dog should be treated immediately after the first symptoms appear. Some diseases can only be cured at an early stage of their development.
Dogs die from poisoning from poisons, potent toxins, chemicals, and medications. Therefore, to prevent this from happening, keep medicines and medicines at home in places inaccessible to dogs, and on walks, make sure that the dog does not pick up crap from the ground.
Preventive actions
Owners of puppies should accustom their puppies to high-quality food from the first days. You cannot deprive your pet of vitamin B1 and animal proteins. It is necessary to completely exclude salted foods from the diet of a dog with heart problems.
It is equally important to maintain an optimal microclimate in the room where your pet is kept: ventilate daily, humidify the air, wipe off dust, and wash the floors.
You shouldn’t let your four-legged friend become overtired during training. It is contraindicated to expose to unnecessary emotional stress. Compliance with routine immunization will save you from infectious diseases and their unpleasant consequences.
It is unlikely that you will be able to completely get rid of asthmatic attacks. But with the right approach, they can be effectively stopped. This will enable the four-legged patient not to experience much discomfort from his illness.
Dogs are emotional animals that can make many different sounds. They bark, howl, whine, squeal, growl, expressing their emotions. At the same time, many dogs snore in their sleep, and after waking up the dog may grunt and sneeze. In some cases, such sounds are caused by the anatomical structure of the nasopharynx and the physiological characteristics of the body. But what to do if the dog is choking, sneezing, coughing, grunting, breathing heavily and intermittently?
In nursing dogs, after birth
My dog stopped responding to my name, at first I thought that she was simply not in the mood and did not want to respond to me, or was tired, but this continued for several days. And one morning I considered it necessary to examine my friend at the veterinarian. What I did right. The guys said that surgical intervention was needed, I agreed, I wanted him to hear me again. A few hours after the operation, he began to hear me. I am grateful to the veterinarians for curing my friend! Thank you!!!
An animal's breathing may change constantly throughout the day. If your pet is not bothered by anything, he will breathe calmly and measuredly through his nose. If he periodically begins to breathe through his mouth, this is a very significant reason for concern.
Remember that heavy breathing can be a symptom of dangerous diseases. Here you should not rely on your understanding of the situation, and you should not delay contacting a specialist. Your promptness will help your beloved pet be healthy, and probably even save his life.
A healthy dog has a good appetite, is active during walks, has a moist nose and sparkling eyes. If a German Shepherd refuses to eat, has frequent urination, and its eyes are filled with purulent discharge, this may indicate either a simple malaise or a serious illness.
Dancing Doberman disease
This neurological syndrome is characterized by flexion of one hind limb while standing. Over time, the second hind limb is affected. A sick dog bends and extends its limbs alternately, as if in a dance. It is assumed that there is a combined response to a sensory stimulus and an automatic neurological impulse. The disease occurs in Doberman Pinschers between 6 months and 7 years of age and affects both males and females. September 14, 2012
Symptoms and types
The main symptom is the bent position of one paw while standing. The second limb is usually affected after 3-6 months. When a dog changes its paws, it appears as if it is dancing. The animal cannot control it. Soon after the onset of the disease, these overactive tendon reflexes lead to progressive muscle atrophy of the limbs. Sometimes the muscles of the limbs lose the ability to respond to the dog's desire to move. This is called proprioceptive deficit.
Causes
The cause of this disease is unknown, but it is believed to be inherited recessively.
Diagnostics
Other conditions associated with Dancing Doberman disease may include lumbosacral stenosis (a narrowing of the lower part of the spinal canal that compresses the nerve roots) or an infection of one or more bones in the spine or the intervertebral discs that connect them in the lumbar region (intervertebral disc disease and discospondylitis, respectively). Dancing Doberman disease is usually painful. A veterinarian can also diagnose cancer of the lumbar spinal cord or nerve endings. This condition progresses quickly and can be painful.
Diagnostic procedures include electromyography (recording the electrical activity of muscles) and testing the amount of uncontrolled muscles and nerves (fibrillation). The veterinarian examines the transmission of information from sensory to motor centers (nerve conduction velocity) to determine the severity of the disease. He will also take a sample of muscle tissue behind the knee joints to examine for muscle disease and/or nerve damage.
Treatment
There are no methods to control the clinical symptoms of this disease or slow its progression.
After that
Several patients were followed for five years or more and remained acceptable pets.
Indications
The main indications for tracheostomy are:
- acute stenosis of the larynx due to foreign bodies, chemical and thermal burns, malignant neoplasms, diphtheria, false croup, epiglottitis, bilateral paralysis of the vocal folds;
- disruption of the drainage function of the tracheobronchial tree in patients with severe traumatic brain injury, stroke, brain tumor, violation of the chest frame, massive pneumonia, as well as those in a coma with impaired cough and pharyngeal reflexes, reflexes or prolonged status asthmaticus;
- bulbar form of poliomyelitis, spinal cord injury in the cervical region, polyradiculoneuritis and neuroinfections (rabies, botulism, tetanus) and severe myasthenia gravis.
The purpose of a tracheostomy is to improve the patient’s condition or prevent possible complications.
How does shortness of breath manifest in a dog?
The dog's breathing becomes faster after intense physical activity, such as long runs and the like. It can also occur at very hot temperatures (the breathing rate can increase to one hundred and sixty breaths per minute). And breathing becomes more frequent when the pet is overexcited. Anxious dogs with an unstable nervous system may also breathe faster.
Rostov-on-Don, February 4, 2022. DON24.RU. Beautiful, smart, willful - dogs of the Siberian Husky breed have become very popular among Rostovites over the past three to four years. If in Soviet times most dog lovers dreamed of a collie, like in the TV series “Lassie,” then today the blue-eyed dream of many dog owners is huskies.
If your dog has any of the above symptoms or the animal is breathing heavily for a long time when it is not hot, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
The Magistrate's Court of the Don capital issued a fine for cruelty to animals to an employee of the contracting company of the Center for Controlling the Number of Stray Animals (CBZ).
How to understand that a dog is about to die
Unfortunately, the death of pets can occur suddenly, as already noted, due to illness, severe injuries, severe poisoning, or intoxication.
But if the dog is healthy, you can understand that the pet will soon pass into another world and this sad event will happen in the next 24 hours , not only by the changed habits and behavior, but also by the following signs:
- Shallow intermittent breathing. The normal breathing rate of an adult dog is 25=35 breaths per minute. Before death, this figure is 10-12 breaths/min. Gradually, the lungs stop filling, breathing becomes barely perceptible, and when the dog dies, it completely subsides.
- Change in heart rate. The pulse of a dying dog is thread-like and is approximately 55-65 beats/min. In the last hours before the death of the animal, it is practically not palpable.
- Involuntary defecation (diarrhea), urination, vomiting. Very often, before death, animals involuntarily defecate. This is explained by the fact that animals are no longer able to control their body; their muscles are completely relaxed. Vomit and feces contain mucus, foam, particles of undigested food, and bloody substances. The urine is dark in color, and the feces emit an unpleasant, specific odor. The excrement may contain foam, blood, or foreign inclusions. After death, the dog will pee and defecate for the last time due to loss of muscle control.
- Inability to stand up. A few days before death, the dog gets up little and practically does not leave his bedding or house. Disorientation in space and loss of coordination of movements are possible. Often, a pet, trying to get up, falls on its side or immediately squats. In this situation, neither massage, nor rubbing, nor medications will help. The brain gradually dies, loses neural connection with muscle structures and ligaments.
- Complete atrophy of muscle structures. A similar condition is observed in very old dogs, as well as in animals that, due to illness or problems in the musculoskeletal system, have not moved much in recent months. The dog's legs move apart, it is difficult for the dog to hold his head up, and the dog does not get up from the bedding. When palpated, the muscles resemble jelly to the touch.
- Dry skin. Before death, the epidermis loses its elasticity. The skin becomes rough, dry, and does not return to its usual place if it is pulled back. This is explained by dehydration and changes in the structure of collagen fibers. The epidermis may look pale and bluish.
- Loss, clouding of consciousness.
A few days before death, dogs' tactile sensitivity decreases . The dog feels virtually no pain. Moreover, if the animal is sick, to reduce pain, especially with oncology, you need to continue to inject or give the dog analgesics prescribed by the veterinarian.
You may notice involuntary muscle spasms and cramps . Before death, the pet reacts very weakly or absolutely not to external stimuli, regardless of the intensity of their impact. At the same time, it is possible that the dog hears, understands, feels you.
The dog has already matured - is there any point in re-educating it?
According to the expert, there is always a point, it’s just that it’s much harder to instill something in an adult dog than in a puppy. And this statement needs to be multiplied by two if we are talking about the Siberian Husky.
“Possessing natural stubbornness, huskies, even in puppyhood, are not very susceptible to the educational process. In order for this dog to begin to take your rules into account, you need to establish your authority in its eyes. Unfortunately, animals do not understand human speech, so this must be done in their language - demonstrating their physical superiority. In a southern city like Rostov-on-Don, this is quite easy to do - you can take your dog with you on a bike ride so that he runs next to the bike. The animal will exhaust itself much faster than you and thus begin to understand that you are stronger and more resilient. If necessary, this lesson can be repeated several times,” Anton Rashulovsky shared his secret.
This works with both a puppy and an adult dog, but for a puppy, the owner is a family, and therefore education, coupled with affection, will be perceived better than in a situation where a person shelters a teenager or an adult. Here the past of the animal will play a big role - how people treated it and why it ended up in the wrong hands. Gaining the trust of a Husky who feels betrayed is not easy. It will take a lot of love and persistence.
“A dog remembers its first owners for a very long time, whom it considers its pack. This even applies to huskies. It won’t be easy here, no matter what breed we’re talking about,” the dog handler emphasized.
If a person adopted a puppy into the family, but the upbringing didn’t work out, you shouldn’t give up. The dog still needs attention, and if you put in the effort, everything will work out.
“Here we have the other side of the coin - the dog trusts you and feels frivolous. It will be a great surprise for him if he suddenly begins to be punished for something for which he previously did not receive any sanctions. Therefore, at first, restrictions must be approached carefully - actively rewarded for obedience and lightly but noticeably reprimanded for offenses. You need to start with the little things, so that the animal gradually begins to get used to the fact that in the future, at least, they will not baby him for tearing a pillow or defecating on his owner’s shoes,” the trainer explained.
Anton notes that many owners who failed to raise their pet properly got into the habit of simply letting it go outside, so that in the future it could find a place and a home for itself. According to a specialist, this cannot be done - a domestic dog will not last long on the street alone. Some people also consider it possible to euthanize a completely healthy animal - this is absolutely not allowed.
“If you and the dog are not suitable for each other, it is better to look for good hands. Give it to a person whose eyes light up when looking at it: he will be ready to do anything to give the dog all his love and warmth. If you still have the drive to try, I advise you to watch the series “Canine Translator with Caesar Milan,” Anton advised.
Why do dogs run away from home before they die?
It is believed that dogs and cats sense their approaching death. If the dog is strongly attached and devoted to its owner and family members, in the last days of its life the dog will constantly be near its owner, literally following on its heels. Pay attention to your beloved pet, try to make his last days and hours as pleasant and comfortable as possible. Surround your dog with love, affection, warmth.
It happens that dogs, sensing approaching death, run away from home. There are several versions explaining this behavior of a pet. Some experts agree that dogs run away from home because they sense the anxious state of their owners. But by and large this is not true. Although dogs can recognize our emotional state, in order to do this, you need to have human consciousness. Moreover, for animals, life and death are equally natural.
Most biologists agree that a dog's escape from home before its death is explained by the same reasons as the departure of a sick old wolf from the pack. In recent days, dogs have become clouded in their consciousness, the skills instilled in the process of communicating with humans are forgotten, but at the same time their natural instincts are activated. It is because of this that dogs, overcoming weakness, try to get as far away from home as possible.
Important! But if the dog has retained consciousness and is very strongly attached to its owner, it will spend its last days with members of its pack and will be left to die in the house or in the arms of its owner. Don't regret your free time, spend it with your beloved dog, stay with the animal as much as possible.
After your dog passes away, you will long remember the pleasant moments from communicating with your dog. Perhaps a new pet will help reduce the pain of losing a devoted, loyal friend. A restless, funny puppy will again fill the house with joy, positivity and help avoid depression caused by the death of a beloved dog. Decide on the breed and give the dog a new name.
The dog is choking Rostov-on-Don
If the body temperature is normal, but rapid breathing is accompanied by shortness of breath and a dry whistling cough, then the dog most likely has asthma. It may appear seasonally depending on the flowering of plants. For asthma, especially severe asthma, drug treatment is necessary, which is determined by the doctor.
Why does my dog breathe frequently? There can be many reasons. If, in addition to breathing, the dog is lethargic or restless, or whines, then specialist intervention is necessary. If it is not possible to invite a veterinarian to your home, then you should very carefully take her to the hospital.
If you do not contact a veterinarian in time, shortness of breath will have unpleasant consequences for the health of the animal. Difficulty breathing leads to oxygen starvation of all body tissues and, in rare cases, death.
In dogs, frequent and heavy breathing is not always a sign of any disease. In normal health, the animal's breathing rate should range from 10 to 30 breaths per minute. The respiratory rate may increase due to increased stress, running, before childbirth, or when a foreign object enters the nasopharynx. Sometimes the dog begins to pant rapidly to avoid overheating. But if the owner notices that his pet is breathing frequently at rest, drinking little and losing weight, this is a serious reason to consult a veterinarian.
Tracheostomy care
Caring for a tracheostomy includes clearing the tube of mucus and ensuring that the skin of the tube is in good condition. The procedure is carried out 2-3 times a day. To do this, the nurse prepares:
- furatsilin solution 1:5 000;
- zinc ointment or Lassar paste;
- 2 and 4% sodium bicarbonate solution;
- sterile vegetable oil or Vaseline;
- sterile cotton balls and gauze pads;
- sterile tracheobronchial catheter, tweezers, spatula and scissors;
- 2 kidney-shaped coxae;
- Janet syringe or electric suction.
Tracheostomy care must be constant. To prevent the tube in the throat from becoming clogged with mucus after the operation, 2-3 drops of a 4% sodium bicarbonate solution or sterile oil are poured into it every 2-3 hours. The cannula is removed from the tube 2-3 times a day, cleaned, processed, lubricated with oil and reinserted into the outer tube. If a patient with a tube in his throat for breathing cannot cough well on his own, then the contents of the trachea are periodically sucked out. If a foreign body gets into the tracheostomy, it is removed. To avoid maceration of the skin around the tracheostomy, the skin is treated without removing the tube. For patients who have undergone a tracheostomy, care and feeding are provided by the staff of the Yusupov Hospital.
Removal of the tracheostomy (tracheostomy tube) is performed after restoration of patency of the upper respiratory tract. Once the cannula is removed, the tracheostomy closes on its own in most cases. After a laryngectomy (removal of the trachea), the tracheostomy tube remains for the rest of your life.
Sometimes the tracheostomy is closed surgically. Where can I have surgery to close a tracheostomy? This procedure is performed by doctors at the Yusupov Hospital. Get advice by phone. The contact center is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
Therapy
Treatment of asthma in a dog begins with finding and eliminating the allergen. Low quality food, moldy foods, dishes with excess salt and vegetable proteins, and wheat concentrates are excluded from the dog’s menu. The diet is radically revised, enriched with missing microelements and B vitamins.
To stop attacks, a set of measures is used:
- oxygen therapy;
- adrenomimetic drugs (Adrenaline, Teofedrine);
- antispasmodics (Cordarone, Papaverine);
- antihistamines (Intal, Diprazine);
- hormonal drugs (Cortisone acetate, Metipred, Beclomet);
- restorative medications (Calcium gluconate).
How to treat asthma in dogs at home, before the veterinarian arrives? An oxygen mask will help alleviate the condition of a tailed asthmatic during an attack. The owner must keep it at home in case of force majeure. A timely injection of Theophedrine or Ephedrine will help quickly restore impaired breathing.
In addition, in the house where an asthmatic dog lives, there should always be vasodilators and antispasmodics (Papaverine, Eufillin), as well as decongestants (Suprastin, Diphenhydramine).
Veterinarians advise taking relaxing menthol inhalations when a seizure approaches. To clear the lumen of the bronchi from mucus, it is recommended to give drugs with an expectorant effect.
Particular attention should be paid to concomitant infectious diseases. If you have sinusitis, you should undergo antibiotic therapy. If polynosis is detected in the nose, you will have to resort to surgical intervention.
