When your dog shows signs of respiratory distress, having him checked by a vet as quickly as possible can prevent a simple cough from turning into a life-threatening inflammation of the lungs and airways -- pneumonia. Some aspects of treating pneumonia will depend upon what caused it but goals are the same: to eliminate infection and restore the ability of your dog's respiratory system to extract adequate oxygen from the air. The care you give your pet at home is as important to your dog's recovery as the medical care he'll get from the vet.
-
Five Types of Pneumonia
-
In dogs, pneumonia is classified into five categories based on cause, writes
veterinarian Wendy Brooks, educational director of VeterinaryPartner.com. Bacterial pneumonia, which often begins as kennel cough, is caused by harmful and sometimes contagious inhaled microorganisms that establish themselves in the respiratory tract. Such bacteria can also enter a dog's lungs if he inhales vomit or a foreign object. The spores of certain fungi can lead to fungal pneumonia, while viral pneumonia is usually secondary to diseases such as canine distemper or influenza. Lungworms or the migration of intestinal parasites into the respiratory tract can cause parasitic pneumonia. Allergic pneumonia is triggered by inflammation resulting from contact with an allergen. Regardless of what started the inflammation, bacteria typically come along to add "their own pus, fever and potential for disaster," making bacterial management a vital part of treatment, writes Brooks.
Symptoms and Outlook
-
A deep cough, labored breathing, lethargy and fever are symptomatic of all types of pneumonia. Since the disease deprives the body of oxygen, affected dogs often have bluish mucous membranes in their mouth, says "Merck Manual: Pet Health Edition"; they also may flap their lips when exhaling. Other signs include nasal discharge, loss of appetite, dehydration and weight loss. As for prognosis, straightforward cases of bacterial pneumonia in otherwise healthy dogs generally respond well to veterinary treatment. Among puppies, elderly dogs and those with other health problems such as immune system deficiencies, the prognosis is "guarded," says VCA Animal Hospitals. The outlook for dogs with pneumonia caused by inhaling a foreign object or substance is poor, Merck notes.
What the Vet Will Do
-
The vet won't be sure what kind of pneumonia your dog has until she gets results from lab tests. After that, medication and treatment choices may change. In the meantime, standard procedure is to administer broad-spectrum antibiotics. At this stage, other treatments will depend upon the severity of the dog's condition. If he's eating and relatively active, you might get the green light to take him home to care for him. If he's neither eating nor active, the vet likely will want him hospitalized. But if he isn't getting enough oxygen to sustain his bodily functions for much longer, the vet probably will want him hospitalized and put on oxygen therapy. Other in-patient treatments may include IV fluids and using a nebulizer to produce a fine mist containing antibiotics and airway dilators that the dog breathes in, Brooks says.
What You Can Do at Home
-
The objective of hospital care is to stabilize your dog's condition enough to allow his treatment to continue at home, where it probably will take several weeks for him to recover fully. In addition to medication, Brooks recommends the use of a vaporizer or nebulizer for 10 to 15 minutes twice daily. An alternative suggested by VCA Animals Hospitals is to put your dog in a closed bathroom while a warm shower runs for about 15 minutes three times daily. Since coughing is necessary to clear the lungs, don't try to suppress it with over-the-counter cough suppressants. Your dog should be kept mainly indoors with his activity restricted, though light exercise will help speed the elimination of mucus from his respiratory tract.
-