The dog is breathing strangely. After giving birth, a dog breathes frequently with its mouth open. Fish is a valuable food product

If a dog is breathing frequently, this should alert the pet owner. Rapid breathing can be either part of a normal life cycle or a sign of a serious illness. In order to determine what caused this manifestation, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the animal. Normal breathing rate is within 30 times per minute. To determine the frequency of breaths, simply press your hand to your pet’s chest and time it for 60 seconds.

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.

Causes

Rapid or labored breathing often appears after exercise or active walking. This symptom can also appear during a game or training. Dogs do not have sweat glands, so to cool the body, the animal begins to breathe frequently, opening its mouth and sticking out its tongue. The same behavior can be observed when the dog is scared or, conversely, is experiencing joy.

Diseases

Things are more serious if the dog suddenly starts breathing frequently for no obvious reason. The most common reasons for this behavior are problems associated with disruption of the respiratory organs:

• bronchitis;
• pneumonia;
• pulmonary edema.

If the dog is breathing very heavily and frequently, there is a possibility of asthma or heart failure.

Some features of the breed

A considerable number of breeds, such as the pug, have problem breathing from birth. They have narrowed nostrils and throat passages from birth. They are also more likely than other breeds to overheat, and this contributes to rapid breathing. In addition, such manifestations can appear when the temperature is elevated or the collar is too tight.

If your four-legged pet has not had any physical exercise or other types of activity, but its breathing has suddenly increased, it may have:

• state of shock;
• severe sensations of pain;
• heart attack;
• stomach problems or poisoning.

In such a situation, you need to urgently contact a veterinarian for a thorough examination and identify the reasons for this behavior.

Dog during pregnancy and lactation

In most cases, if a pregnant dog begins to breathe frequently, it is a sign that labor is approaching. In such a situation, her health is not in danger. But when after birth the breathing rate does not decrease, and the puppies are stillborn, then you need to urgently take them to the veterinarian, since your dog needs surgical intervention.

When a nursing dog breathes rapidly, while its movements are slightly slower, this may indicate that the level of glucose and calcium in its body is significantly reduced. You will need consultation and assistance from a doctor. If no action is taken, the animal will die.

How and what to do

There are many reasons why a dog breathes frequently. If, along with rapid breathing, lethargy and anxiety are observed, while she whines, the help of a specialist is needed. If it is not possible to invite a doctor to your home, you must carefully take your pet to a veterinary hospital. In the absence of additional symptoms, frequent breathing of an animal with unnatural behavior for it requires an examination that will help identify pathologies.

If your dog frequently breathes with its mouth open, the first thing you need to do is take its temperature. Rapid breathing is considered a sign of respiratory diseases during hyperthermia. After this, you need to invite a veterinarian for diagnosis.

If in the heat your pet breathes frequently, drinks a lot and periodically shivers, this is a sign of heat stroke. In this case, the owner needs to move to a cool place, wipe the dog’s body with cool water and call a veterinarian.

Is your pet breathing frequently? This can be either a normal physiological phenomenon or a symptom of illness and health-threatening conditions. When should you worry and take action? Let's get a look.

Your dog is a member of the family, everyone’s favorite. Therefore, you must know and be able to assess the health status of your pet.

The first thing you should pay attention to is how your dog breathes. In a calm environment for a dog, the animal breathes with its mouth closed, without any noise. However, due to the structure of their muzzle, some dogs may wheeze when breathing, or even “grunt” while sleeping. These are, for example, pugs.

Rapid breathing in dogs can be a sign of illness.

The normal breathing rate for a healthy dog ​​at rest is 10-30 breaths per minute. But this frequency is arbitrary. It depends on the size of the dog and its age:

• Small breeds – 15-30 per minute
• Large breeds – 10-20 per minute

Dogs such as the Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, and other “huge” breeds have the following breathing rate: 8-20 breaths per minute.

Important! Puppies breathe more frequently than adult dogs. Bitches also breathe more frequently. Breathing depends on the position the dog takes while resting.

Physiological increase in breathing in dogs

A dog's breathing is affected by many external factors. For example, heat. Under such conditions, the number of breaths can reach 160 beats per minute. Especially after active games, during physical activity.

A dog's breathing is affected by many factors, such as active play.

When restless or excited, the dog's breathing becomes faster. Breathing status is also affected by time. At night the dog breathes less frequently.

The character of the animal matters. Restless dogs with a mobile nervous system breathe more often.

Note! It's normal for a dog to have rapid breathing after giving birth! The bitch's uterus contracts and milk begins to secrete. In this case, the dog does not show symptoms of the disease

Rapid breathing in a dog as a symptom of illness

Breathing disorder in dogs has a variety of causes, ranging from infection to heart disease.

The main causes of tachypnea (rapid breathing) in dogs:

1. Infections that can lead to complications such as pneumonia
2. Foreign body obstructing the airway
3. Heart failure
4. Inflammation of the nose, larynx, trachea
5. Bronchitis, blood clots, cancer
6. Trauma, diabetes and other causes

Rapid breathing in a dog can be a result of serious illnesses.

Symptoms to watch out for

If your dog's rapid breathing is caused by illness, you may notice a change in the animal's behavior. The dog trembles, feels weak, and lies down all the time. In addition, you may notice the following signs:

• Wheezing, restlessness, trembling
• Cough, shortness of breath
• Bluish discoloration of gums
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting, diarrhea

Important! If your dog has great difficulty inhaling and exhaling, this is a reason to immediately contact a veterinarian.

Diagnosis of rapid breathing in a dog

First you need to exclude external factors: stress, heat, anxiety. After this, take the animal to the clinic. It is important to create peace and comfort for the dog. But don't overdo it! Do not try to force water on an animal, it can be dangerous. You wish him well, but a sick and frightened dog can behave unexpectedly.

At the veterinarian

If a dog has difficulty breathing, then the main task is to supply oxygen. This is done using an oxygen mask or placing the animal in an oxygen chamber. At the same time, the veterinarian will begin an examination - listen to the heart, measure the pulse.

To identify the causes, the veterinarian conducts a series of studies.

To identify the cause, use:

• X-ray (exclusion of a foreign body in the respiratory tract and tumor)
• Electrocardiogram
• Ultrasound of the heart
• A general and biochemical blood test is required

Therapeutic techniques

Further treatment for the dog depends on the identified cause of the rapid breathing. In severe cases, the dog is hospitalized. Sedatives are prescribed, and diuretics can be used to relieve pulmonary edema.

Oxygen therapy has a good effect. If infection occurs, antibiotics are prescribed.

Infusion therapy is indicated for dehydration and systemic diseases.

Home care

The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions of your doctor.

1. Give your animal medications on time. Do not self-medicate, do not introduce new medications that have not been prescribed by a doctor.
2. Make sure your dog always has water in his bowl
3. Take your dog for checkups more often
4. Provide your pet with peace and cool air in the room

After recovery, be sure to take longer walks with your pet.

Frequent breathing in a dog is not always a symptom of any disease. In a normal state, a dog's breathing rate is about 10-30 breaths per minute. This indicator may increase after active exercise, running, before childbirth, when a foreign object enters the respiratory tract, and breathing becomes more frequent in order to avoid overheating of the body.
However, if you notice rapid breathing in your dog at rest and spontaneously, then this is a serious cause for concern.

Why is my dog ​​breathing heavily?
There can be many reasons that cause heavy or rapid breathing in a dog in a calm state:

• The dog could have suffered heatstroke or simply overheated.
• Nervous excitement also causes rapid breathing in the dog (unfamiliar place, visit to the veterinary clinic, transport)
• A pregnant dog breathes heavily before and at the beginning of labor, as well as during lactation, when the puppies suck heavily on their mother.
• Heavy breathing is possible due to mechanical damage, such as a bruise or chest injury, etc.
• Incipient heart attack in old dogs that are overheated
• Pulmonary edema and airway obstruction
• Asthma is characterized not only by heavy breathing, but also by shortness of breath and cough
• Dilatation of the dog's stomach or torsion
• “Cold” diseases, such as bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, accompanied by an increase in body temperature
• Heart attack and heart failure in a dog are also accompanied by heavy breathing. Signs of heart problems also include a blue tongue and fainting.
• Polyps in the nasopharynx and various tumors, in addition to heavy breathing, are accompanied by “grunting”, as well as snoring during sleep.

Associated symptoms of heavy breathing in a dog:

• the dog is looking for a cool place, refuses to eat and drinks a lot - the dog is overheated
• Coughing, shortness of breath and heavy breathing in a dog, and in some cases an increase in body temperature (above 39ºC), can indicate various respiratory diseases - from asthma to pneumonia
• heavy breathing in a bitch after giving birth may well indicate that she still has 1 or 2 fetuses left in her uterus
• if heavy breathing is observed in a nursing bitch, while she is hiding from the light, and the coordination of her movements is impaired, then we are talking about eclampsia - an increase in blood pressure to a critical level
• if the dog begins to panic and cannot find a place for itself, loses consciousness, and the tongue becomes bluish, then the onset of a heart attack, heart attack, or the dog may have heart failure
• if you suspect your dog has a chest injury after a fight with another animal, a fall, etc. cases, carefully examine the animal for wounds or bruises. The dog will be in a lethargic state, and when touched to the chest, it will whine from pain.
• If the dog is breathing heavily and whining in pain when the stomach is touched, then most likely there is dilatation and/or torsion of the stomach

Most of these situations require an urgent visit to a veterinarian as soon as possible, since we are talking not just about the health of your four-legged friend, but about his life!

What to do if your dog is breathing heavily and frequently?

• If, along with your dog’s heavy breathing, you observe other strange symptoms, for example, the dog is whining, acting anxiously, or, conversely, it is too lethargic, immediately seek help from a veterinarian
• Difficult labor, stillbirth of puppies, and the possibility that not all puppies have emerged from the uterus have a negative impact on the dog’s condition. In such cases, urgent surgery is necessary to help your dog get rid of intoxication and save his life.
• If there are no other accompanying symptoms, and the dog still has rapid breathing in an unnatural situation, then this is a serious reason to conduct a cardiological examination: ECHO for small breed dogs and ECG for medium and large breeds. Such methods will help identify heart disease at an early stage or eliminate it altogether.
• An additional measure to identify the problem will be x-rays in frontal and lateral projections.

Many dog ​​owners have repeatedly noticed that the animal sometimes begins to breathe rapidly. This can be either a completely normal phenomenon or a symptom of a very serious and even dangerous disease.

Therefore, it is worth distinguishing what other symptoms appear in an animal during rapid breathing.

Physiological increase in breathing

Flat-faced dog breeds, such as pugs, are inherently doomed to develop upper respiratory tract problems. They are distinguished by narrow nostrils, as well as a dangerously narrowed windpipe. The same breeds are often susceptible to overheating, which also stimulates rapid breathing.

The norm is considered to be increased breathing with an open mouth, which occurs in a dog when excited, overheated, or tired. It is also quite naturally caused by significant physical activity, pain and certain medications, such as corticosteroids. The dog may pant frequently when the neck is compressed by the collar or.

Rapid breathing in dogs is a sign of a problem

If your dog's breathing rate suddenly increases, but is not preceded by physical activity, this may indicate that the animal is in a dangerous condition. It could be:

• heart attack,
• strong pain.

In this case, you should immediately contact a veterinarian for examination and diagnosis. Rapid breathing may be associated with difficulty breathing. The difficulty may occur during inspiration (inspiratory dyspnea) or during exhalation (expiratory dyspnea). Doctors also distinguish an increase in the rate of breathing - polypnea and an increase in the depth of respiratory movements and an increase in rate - hyperpnea.

The causes of shortness of breath are:

1. increased body temperature,
2. decreased oxygen concentration in the blood,
3. functional and organic diseases of the central nervous system,
4. changes in the sensitivity of respiratory muscle receptors,
5. pain,
6. metabolic disorders.

It is also one of the symptoms of diseases such as:

• emphysema,
• pulmonary embolism,
• exudative pleurisy,
• pulmonary fibrosis,
• pneumothorax,
• atelectasis,
• pericarditis,
• ascites,
• tumor,
• injury,
• anemia,
• encephalitis,
• methemoglobinemia,
• poisoning,

Tachypnea is a gas exchange disorder in which carbon dioxide accumulates in the blood and oxygen levels decrease. As a result, the animal experiences increased respiratory rate. Often, a dog breathes very quickly due to health problems. In healthy individuals, the breathing rate is from 10 to 30 breaths per minute. This figure is average.

Breathing rate in a dog

It is necessary to take into account the dog's age, size and breed. Large dogs breathe less frequently - 10-20 breaths per minute. Small breeds more often - 15-30 breaths per minute. At the same time, female individuals have a higher breathing rate.

There is no need to panic if puppies have rapid breathing - they always breathe loudly and more often than adult dogs. At night, all animals breathe more calmly than during the day.

When rapid breathing is normal

Ventilation of an animal's lungs depends on a large number of factors. A dog's panting may occur due to very hot weather or physical activity. After walks or street games, your pet's heartbeat will increase. Therefore, the normal consequence will be intermittent and rapid breathing in the dog for the next half hour.

There is no need to worry about rapid breathing caused by intense emotions of rage or excitement. A trip to a place far from home, a visit to the veterinarian, or a noisy crowd of people disturbs the pet. Stress and nervous situations also cause shortness of breath. Tachypnea can also indicate physiological characteristics such as pregnancy or sexual arousal.

There is nothing surprising in the dog having difficulty breathing when the oxygen supply is reduced in confined spaces. Also, the frequency of breaths depends on what the dog breathes. It is better to exclude walking in industrial zones. Toxic trace elements can settle on the animal's lungs and cause breathing difficulties.

Due to their anatomical structure, breeds with a flat nose suffer from tachypnea throughout their lives. Therefore, if such a dog breathes frequently and sticks out its tongue, this is the norm. The pet may also wheeze and sniffle in its sleep. This only indicates a relaxed breathing apparatus or an uncomfortable posture during rest.

Warning signs

Tachypnea in dogs is not always a harmless phenomenon. If, against the background of restless breathing, the animal exhibits other symptoms - weakness, shortness of breath, diarrhea, convulsions, vomiting - you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian. Respiratory dysfunction may have the following causes:

• respiratory viral infections;
• foreign body blocking the airway;
• inflammation of the bronchi, trachea or larynx;
• heart failure;
• open or closed injury to vital organs.

There are two types of difficulty breathing in dogs: superficial and deep. Superficial increase in frequency is usually associated with fever, inflammation of the bronchi, or swelling of the lung tissue.

If your pet is breathing quickly but deeply, it may be due to oxygen deficiency. A stressful situation and heavy exertion also cause deep shortness of breath.

Additional symptoms

If wheezing tachypnea occurs suddenly and is not preceded by exercise, the dog may be in a dangerous condition. Therefore, if you notice the following serious symptoms, you should immediately contact your veterinarian:

1. Fever. It should range from 37C to 39C. If there is a deviation from these indicators, then in combination with difficulty breathing, this may indicate the presence of a viral infection.
2. Wheezing. If it occurs, you should first check your pet's larynx. A foreign body could have entered there, causing fluid swelling that makes it difficult for the dog to breathe.
3. Vomit. If an animal vomits in addition to tachypnea, this indicates an allergy, poisoning or overeating. In this case, drooling may also occur heavily.
4. Shiver. May occur with hypoglycemia or viral hepatitis.
5. The occurrence of seizures along with rapid breathing may indicate an epileptic attack.
6. A blue tongue is the most frightening sign. He talks about pulmonary edema or heart problems.
7. The dog begins to arch its back strangely or whine. This may indicate intervertebral disc disease, hernia or osteochondrosis.

After vaccination

Often, after canine injections, dogs begin to experience a convulsive heart rhythm or tachycardia. These processes are accompanied by tachypnea. If it is difficult for an animal to inhale and exhale normally immediately after vaccination, the first thing you need to understand is that this is not an allergy. It can lead to anaphylactic shock and cause death. Therefore, it is necessary to stay with your pet in the clinic for half an hour after the procedure.

If a dog is breathing spasmodically several hours after vaccination, this means that the immune system has responded to the vaccine. In this case, a high breathing rate may be accompanied by loss of appetite, decreased activity, indigestion and fever. Typically, respiratory function returns to normal within 24 hours.

Overheating of the animal

When a dog experiences heatstroke, it may experience rapid breathing, as if it has undergone a lot of physical exertion. The animal becomes lethargic. As first aid, you should provide the dog with access to water. The dog is placed in a cool and well-ventilated area. If your dog continues to breathe heavily after this, you can apply ice to the head and belly. You can also cover your pet with a wet towel.

If respiratory function has not recovered within 24 hours, you should consult a veterinarian.

After anesthesia

The dog is breathing frequently due to serious medical procedures. Anesthesia is stress for the body. After this, the animal may be in a restless state. This happens when the effect of anesthesia wears off and the dog begins to experience discomfort after the intervention. In this case, the pet is given an anesthetic drug that the veterinarian recommended as treatment.

Tachypnea in this case may indicate intoxication of the body or pulmonary edema after surgery. It is impossible to cope with these problems at home, so you need to urgently take the animal to a veterinary clinic.

Breathing during pregnancy

It is especially important to monitor the breathing of a pregnant bitch. In this position, tachypnea may signal impending labor. If a pregnant dog is breathing heavily in the late stages, there is no reason to worry.

However, rapid breathing in a dog in the early stages should cause concern for the owner. It is necessary to exclude the possibility of pathology and prevent the occurrence of miscarriage.

It is impossible to do this on your own, so it is recommended to seek help from specialists. During lactation, the dog's breathing is also uneven, which is not a deviation.

First aid

First of all, it is necessary to quickly eliminate external factors: stress, heat, anxiety. You should provide the dog with a comfortable environment. It is necessary to create good ventilation in the room where the pet will lie. In order not to aggravate the situation, you should not lift the animal’s head and forcefully feed it water. If the temperature is high, you can apply ice.

If the dog begins to choke, tremble and cough, you should resort to an oxygen mask. If your tongue turns blue, which is a sign of heart failure, you should place heating pads on your dog's paws. But if breathing is not restored, you should immediately show the dog to a veterinarian. Tachypnea cannot be ignored, since the frequency of respiratory movements does not always return to normal on its own.