A dog owner should become familiar with her dog's regular breathing pattern in order to identify dangerous abnormalities that may signal a life-threatening condition. Canine breathing difficulties stem from a variety of causes. Dog owners can detect some of the obvious causes--like physical injury--quite easily, but internal sources--like a heart condition--are difficult to recognize and require a vet's diagnosis.
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Allergies
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Airborne allergens like pollen, dust and cigarette smoke can irritate a dog's airways and elicit breathing difficulties. Additionally, pesticides, household cleaning chemicals and insect bites can create allergic reactions in a dog that prompt labored breathing.
Brachycephalic Breeds
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Brachycephalic breeds are dogs with "snub" noses and include the Pug, Boston Terrier and Shih-Tzu. Such breeds are more susceptible to breathing problems because the special anatomy of their heads can negatively affect the respiratory system. Some common characteristics in a brachycephalic dog that can create breathing difficulties include very small nasal openings, a narrow windpipe and the potential for inflamed airways due to upper respiratory obstructions.
Choking
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A dog may choke on foreign objects that he swallows. Such an occurrence should be treated as an emergency and, according to website Just Us Dogs, a dog owner should not wait for her vet's assistance. She should try to remove the object safely. A swallowed foreign object is not the only cause of choking. An allergic reaction and injuries to the neck or throat that cause swelling and blocked airways can cause a dog to choke. Additionally, a dog can choke on his own vomit.
Dangerous Conditions
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A dog will breathe more rapidly after exercise. However, Just Us Dogs states that if his breathing rate increases abruptly without exercise, it may be a response to dangerous conditions like shock, pain, heatstroke or poisoning.
Heartworms
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Heartworm larvae inhabit infected mosquitoes; they are transmitted into a dog's blood stream if an infected mosquito bites him. Natural Dog Health Remedies states that within six months, the larvae can travel to the dog's heart and develop into long worms that obstruct blood flow. The decrease in blood flow translates into a decrease in a dog's oxygen supply, which creates breathing difficulties.
Internal Ailments
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Internal conditions such as heart failure, lung disease, an accumulation of fluid in the chest, trauma (such as a torn diaphragm) and tumors can provoke labored breathing in a dog.
Upper Respiratory Problems
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Upper respiratory problems irritate a dog's airways and elicit breathing difficulties. Common upper respiratory problems include kennel cough, asthma and bronchitis. If a dog has kennel cough, he wheezes and has a dry, hacking cough. Asthma may be the result of a dog's allergic reaction to airborne allergens and usually is accompanied by wheezing, coughing and sneezing. A dog with bronchitis has a dry cough that is accompanied by wheezing and gagging.
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