Introduction
Many dogs have asthma, especially short-nosed dogs, such as Pekingese and Pugs. Generally, dogs have sharp wheezing similar to asthma in the change of seasons, emotional excitement, etc. However, this kind of performance is a normal phenomenon in dogs, but to determine whether your pet dog is suffering from asthma or not, it is better to take it to the hospital for examination before determining.
Symptoms of asthma in dogs may be standard signs of illness. A sick dog will crouch down, stretch its neck and press against the ground, then make a ragged cracking asthmatic sound, sometimes accompanied by a coughing fit. Depending on the severity or frequency of the allergen, some dogs will continue to have them throughout the day, some once every few days, and mild ones even once every few months to years.
It is clinically difficult to diagnose asthma for dogs because most dogs will not be symptomatic by the time they get to the doctor and the owner's description of the symptoms has become the only clue to the diagnosis. If the owner can record images of the attack, the doctor will be able to more clearly identify the symptoms of asthma in the dog. When an owner's description of symptoms is suspected as a possibility for asthma, x-rays, a complete blood count, and a heartworm test are needed to eliminate the possibility of other diseases.
Asthma in dogs is a chronic condition that causes dogs to have difficulty breathing and exhibit symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. As pet owners, we naturally want to provide our dogs with the best care possible to help them relieve their illness and regain their health. So, what medication for asthma in dogs? How to choose the right treatment program? This article will answer this question in detail and provide some practical advice to help you better manage your dog's asthma.
Most Common Causes of Asthma in Dogs
There is a dependency between certain factors and these health problems. Basically, a dangerous chronic disease like asthma is caused by the following outrageous concomitant conditions:
| Cause/Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Poor Insulation and Outdoor Exposure | Chronic bronchitis often progresses to asthma in dogs that are kept outside in poorly insulated doghouses, especially when exposed to harsh weather conditions like snow and rain without proper protective gear. Repeated exposure and lack of necessary treatment allow infections to take hold and re-emerge when the immune system is weakened. Bacteria and viruses establish themselves in the lung tissue until asthma symptoms begin. |
| Indoor Environmental Factors | Inappropriate living conditions, such as high humidity and extreme temperature drops in a home, can also lead to asthma. This is common in dogs living on the ground floor of multi-story buildings, where they often lie on concrete, weakening their lungs. |
| Extreme Cold and Overexertion | Vigorous exercise in extremely cold weather can exacerbate asthma symptoms. During severe frost, owners should avoid strict schedules and limit outdoor time to essential trips only. Cold weather training is particularly dangerous. |
| Stressful Situations | Stress can cause spasms in the lungs, especially in breeds with short noses like Pugs and Bulldogs. When these dogs are extremely frightened, they may start to suffocate. |
| Allergic Reactions | Allergens such as plant pollen, insect bites, tobacco smoke, solvents, poplar fluff, and constant exposure to aromatic feed additives can cause swelling in the lung tissue, leading to asthma attacks. |
| Infectious Causes | Infections that can be eliminated with antibiotics and intensive treatment can lead to asthma-like symptoms. This type of asthma is considered "false" as the attacks are similar to the real form but are triggered by infections. |
| Fungal Infections | Avoid exposing your dog to damp basements, as mold spores can be inhaled into the lungs. These spores can germinate in the lungs, leading to the most rapid and dangerous form of asthma. |
Symptoms of Asthma in Dogs
Dogs in asthma before the onset of almost no signs, its asthma attack is actually an allergic reaction, once it encounters allergens will attack, may be one second the dog is very normal and happy activities it, the next second onset.
Why is it so easy to miss the best time to treat asthma in dogs? In fact, this is because the dog asthma attack is mild, there is no obvious symptoms, the owner may only notice that the dog suddenly breathless for a short while, but soon recovered only, the symptoms of mild asthma in dogs is indeed, so that the owner is difficult to think of the dog to this side, but time is long, the dog asthma problem may give to the health of its health may cause irreversible damage, and even will threaten its life.
When a dog has an asthma attack, the mild symptoms will be a strong dry cough, panting, and sometimes accompanied by dry heaving. Serious attacks: the affected dog will show shortness of breath, even gasping for air, body temperature rises, but also appear red skin, tongue purple, rapid heartbeat and other serious symptoms, if the dog appeared in this case, the owner must send the dog to the nearby hospital as soon as possible to be treated.
However, asthma is not the only symptom that can occur in dogs, some other diseases also have the appearance of this symptom, so the owner will give it some tests to determine the cause of the disease after seeing the affected dog. In any case, these symptoms are abnormal and need to be taken seriously!
Some pet owners feel very aggravated, it is not that they do not pay attention to their beloved pets to be sick ah ~ it's just that the dog asthma, coughing as well as snoring, it is really difficult to recognize ah! For this reason, owners can compare the following methods:
Dog snoring sound is usually lower frequency, low pronunciation. And snoring is not all dog breeds will have~ just the nasal cavity of the shorter breeds of dogs snoring will be more common, such as French bulldogs, pugs, etc., and snoring is more rapid, and asthma is more similar, but still can be distinguished!
If it is a cough, the sound is usually intermittent, and the sound frequency will be lower.
In the case of asthma, the sound is usually intermittent and low-frequency, whereas in the case of asthma, the sound is sharp, continuous and high-frequency.
In general, it is impossible for a dog to fully describe all the symptoms. Symptoms vary greatly from dog to dog, but the main symptoms are shown below:
- The dog develops what is known as a whistling breath, which may even have several different pitches. This is due to adhesions in the lungs, in which only the narrowest passages are preserved. If the dog is sleeping, you need to listen to the animal's side. These may simply be nasal sounds due to dry mucus in the nostrils.
- Dog owners often confuse asthma with allergies. Fluid may drain from the nose and eyes and the dog begins to scratch its face hard with its paws. This may even happen in dreams. From the side, the animal appears to be choking, trying to free the airway.
- Breathing becomes very short and the muscles pressing on the abdomen become very tense. This can be considered a convulsion. However, with such a manifestation, the dog emits a strong, steady exhalation. The dog has a great deal of trouble breathing, and even from a distance all sorts of harsh and whistling sounds can be well heard.
- The dog often sits down while walking and does not even attempt to run.
- The dog may develop severe painful spasms, lie on its side and begin to whine, and possibly urinate involuntarily.
- The dog is uncoordinated with severe shortness of breath, even when walking in circles or trying to spread its paws as wide as possible to maintain balance.
- The skin on the chest is stretched and barely straightened.
- Dog may be atypically bent in an arc and have an open mouth.
- The mucous membranes of the lips, palate, and gums may turn blue due to lack of oxygen.
What to Do About Dog Asthma?
When dog emergencies occur, oxygen can relieve symptoms and airway dilators can provide airway dilation. When a dog's symptoms are mild and require long-term control, oral medications can be given depending on the attack, as anti-inflammatory is the most important in asthma treatment. Additionally, slow-releasing medication with a slow-acting bronchodilator should be used together. In fact, inhalers are the best treatment for chronic asthma. Just like asthma control in humans, dogs can use inhalers to control asthma symptoms. The main ingredients of inhalers include steroids and bronchodilators, which can be used as an alternative to inhalers in humans.
The following advice is for pet owners who have severe asthma:
- Bathe and groom your pet regularly to minimize dander
- Keep your pet out of your bedroom to create allergen-free areas
- Don't let your pet lick your face
- Purify the air in your home with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter
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Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to vacuum frequently
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Wash pet toys and bedding periodically to get rid of allergies
- Make sure medications prescribed by your doctor are within reach and follow the recommended dosages
For dogs to treat asthma can take medication, asthma medication because they all have asthma effect, often called asthma medication. Clinically, according to the main aspects of its role will be divided into: bronchodilators, such drugs in addition to the main role of the bronchial relief, control of acute symptoms of asthma; anti-inflammatory drugs or drugs known as control of the condition.
Bronchodilators, such as β2 agonists and theophyllines. β2 agonists relax bronchial smooth muscle mainly by agonizing the β2-receptor of airway smooth muscle, activating adenylate cyclase, so that intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content increases, and free Ca2+ decreases, thus relaxing bronchial smooth muscle. It is the drug of choice for controlling the symptoms of acute asthma exacerbation. β2 agonists can be administered by inhalation, orally or intravenously, and can generally be taken by inhalation, which has a rapid action, high intra-airway drug volume and few systemic side effects. Theophylline class in addition to inhibit phosphodiesterase, improve the concentration of cAMP in smooth muscle cells, at the same time with adenosine receptor antagonism; and can promote the secretion of adrenaline in vivo; enhance the airway cilia clearance function and anti-inflammatory effect. It is one of the commonly used drugs for the treatment of asthma.
Regardless of which drug you choose to treat your dog's asthma disease, it should be approved by your doctor before you use it. As a parent you cannot just treat your dog with medication on your own.
Veterinarians first prescribe general medications to relieve swelling and spasms before prescribing individual treatments and searching for causative factors. The following types of treatment are primarily used:
- Inhalation under hospital conditions. It will be very difficult to use a portable inhaler at home as it is not possible to teach the dog to inhale at the push of a button and overdosing is highly undesirable. All medications contain very high doses of hormones. In extreme cases they can even be administered intravenously.
- Antihistamines are prescribed when the animal shows signs of allergy. It is forbidden to give human drugs.
- A new means is the bronchodilator, which has the ability to deeply inject powerful drugs, stop/eliminate spasms, straight into the bronchi.
- Antibiotics can only be used as an adjunct, they practically do not help with asthma itself, but they can get you out of chronic bronchitis.
- Oxygen masks may be prescribed during hospitalization. They can relieve choking/suffocation episodes and also promote normal blood supply to the injured dog's body tissues.
In such cases, tracheotomies are not used due to futility. In addition, an inhaler would not have been effective; it would have only increased swelling and resulted in complete closure/occlusion of the bronchial tubes. When transporting animals to the veterinary clinic, it is necessary to ensure the inflow of fresh air, it is prohibited to transport them in boxes or cardboard boxes, especially in the trunk.
How to Prevent Asthma Attacks in Dogs?
In addition to medication, environmental management is an important part of controlling asthma in dogs. Try to avoid exposing your dog to known allergens such as pollen, dust and smoke. Regular cleaning of your dog's living environment and maintaining air circulation can effectively reduce the buildup of allergens. There are also the following precautions to keep in mind:
1. When summer comes, the owner can thin the dog's hair by himself or let the hairdresser, which can be conducive to its heat dissipation. And if the dog's hair is too long, the dog's hair loss may also cause asthma after accidentally inhaling.
2. If the dog has been diagnosed with asthma, the owner should keep the dog's living environment ventilated, with appropriate temperature and humidity. For example, the kennel should be placed in a cool and ventilated place, but must pay attention to the cold, or the dog is very easy to catch cold. In addition, the dog's should be cleaned and exposed to the sun, and it is best to regularly disinfect, including its tableware and toys.
3. The owner needs to give the dog good care of work, such as diligently give the dog a bath, combing hair, usually can use pet shower gel to give it a bath, this pet shower gel can prevent the dog from getting skin diseases, in order to reduce the harm caused by hair loss.
4. Strictly manage the dog's diet, choose natural low oil and salt nutritional quality dog food to feed the dog, occasionally appropriate to give it pork supplement. Because pork contains a lot of vitamin B, and vitamin B has a good effect on preventing asthma attacks.
5. Try not to take your dog for walks where there are a lot of people or pets, and keep bushes and grasses to a minimum. Because insect bites or plants may cause their respiratory allergies, making asthma attacks.
6. Owners should keep their homes clean and tidy, often clean and disinfect their homes, and pay attention to air circulation, as well as not letting their dogs stay in a hot environment for a long time.
Don't think that your dog's asthma is just a minor problem because it comes and goes so quickly; sometimes asthma can be life-threatening. Therefore, when you are not sure, it is best to take your dog to the vet. In addition, pay attention to the following things in your daily life:
1. Live in an environment with relatively low temperature
2. Dogs in severely hot environments can lead to poor metabolism, if asthmatic reaction should be immediately sought medical attention
3. Prohibit strenuous exercise
4. If the dog has respiratory or heart disease, consult a doctor immediately.
5. Avoid feeding large quantities of food that cannot be swallowed easily
6. Do not smoke in the vicinity of the dog
7. Use indoor air filters
8. Do not take your dog to play in places with lots of flowers
9. Avoid using strong-smelling air fresheners, perfumes, disinfectants, paints, etc. indoors
10. Use dust mite-proof cushion covers and pillowcases for kennels as much as possible
Chihuahua Dogs and Asthma
Chihuahuas have a relatively small body size, which means that their heart and lungs function differently than larger dogs. Their respiratory rate is usually a bit faster than that of large dogs, which is a natural physiological phenomenon. However, if a Chihuahua is panting unusually loudly during sleep, we need to look closely and understand the possible reasons behind it.
Normally, Chihuahuas have a slight and regular breathing sound. They usually breathe slightly faster during the day when they are active, and calmly at night or when they are quiet. If you can distinctly hear your Chihuahua's breathing sound on a quiet night and it is louder, accompanied by flaring of the nose and open-mouth breathing, this may indicate some underlying health problems.
There is a distinct difference between a Chihuahua's normal breathing during sleep and panting for some reason. Abdominal breathing is a normal form of canine respiration in which the abdomen expands during inhalation and contracts during exhalation. In contrast, panting is a shallow and rapid form of respiration, usually accompanied by additional noise created when airflow through the airways is restricted.
When should I seek veterinary help?
In the following cases, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately for professional diagnosis and treatment:
- Wheezing accompanied by coughing, wheezing, or other signs of respiratory distress
- The rate of breathing suddenly increases or slows down
- Systemic symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite or decreased vigor are present
When your Chihuahua is found to be asthmatic, the following steps should be taken:
1. Immediately check the environment and health conditions: make sure the environment is at the right temperature and free of substances that may cause choking or allergies. Observe your Chihuahua for other symptoms such as coughing and cyanosis.
2. Provide adequate hydration: Make sure the dog is adequately hydrated to help dissipate heat.
3. Seek immediate medical attention: If the cause cannot be determined or the symptoms are severe, it is advisable to take your Chihuahua to a veterinarian immediately.
4. Avoid strenuous exercise: Limit strenuous exercise for Chihuahuas until the cause is determined to minimize stress on their respiratory system.
5. Environmental regulation: Provide suitable temperature and humidity and avoid overheating or overcooling to minimize heat stress.
If a Chihuahua is diagnosed as needing medication, the veterinarian's prescription should be strictly followed. Below are some of the classes of medications that may be recommended:
1. Bronchodilators
For breathing problems, veterinarians sometimes prescribe bronchodilators, which relax the smooth muscles of the airways and reduce airway resistance. Common medications include theophylline and salbutamol.
2. Antibiotics
If wheezing is caused by a bacterial infection, such as pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to destroy the source of the infection.
3. Anti-inflammatory drugs
Anti-inflammatory medications may be recommended for airway inflammation, such as asthma or allergic problems, and they help reduce inflammation in the airways.
4. Heart medications
For breathing problems caused by heart disease, medications such as diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) may be used.
Alternatively, Noora Heart Supplement may be chosen as an adjunctive nutritional supplement to help ease your dog's asthma-triggered heart problems.
Remember that any medication should not be purchased and given to your Chihuahua on its own, but should be prescribed by your veterinarian based on a specific diagnosis and your Chihuahua's individual condition.
