If your dog suffers from allergies, asthma, pneumonia or other respiratory ailments that require frequent or prompt medication, your veterinarian may prescribe the use of nebulizer treatments. By administering fluids via an aerosol inhalant, the medication is more thoroughly absorbed into your dog's system than it could be using traditional oral methods of treatment.
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Albuterol
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Your vet may prescribe albuterol nebulizer treatments up to three times a day if your dog suffers from asthma or another ailment that causes the bronchioles to constrict or swell. The medication helps to open up your dog's airways and makes it easier for him to breathe.
Complications from albuterol treatment may include nervousness, a rapid heart beat or excessive panting, but these symptoms usually disappear within a half hour after treatment and are rare. If your dog has a previously disclosed heart condition, speak to your vet about the benefits versus the risks involved in albuterol treatments, as the medication could cause your dog's heart to beat irregularly.
Antibiotics
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If your dog has kidney dysfunction and needs to be treated with the antibiotics gentocin or amikacin, your veterinarian may prescribe these medications to be mixed with a saline solution and administered through a nebulizer rather than intravenously, as the aerosol method is easier on the kidneys. Speak to your vet about the proper ratio of antibiotic and saline solution and how often you should administer the treatments.
Mucomyst
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A nebulizer solution of Mucomyst helps to break up mucous in your dog's lungs. Always follow the directions listed on the package to be sure you are providing your dog with the proper dosage and frequency of medication. If your dog appears to have trouble breathing after using Mucomyst, contact your veterinarian, as it could be a sign of a rare allergic reaction to the medication.
Saline
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Use a prescription sterile saline solution to help loosen mucous and moisten the lining of your dog's lungs. Ask your veterinarian for the saline, and do not use over-the-counter contact saline solution. You can also use saline solution as a base from which to mix and administer other types of aerosol-affective medication to your dog. Your vet can tell you which medications may be mixed into saline and used with a nebulizer for quicker absorption.
Home Remedies
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Help prevent infection and minimize airway constriction in your congested dog by combining tea tree or eucalyptus oil with distilled water and administering it via the nebulizer for up to 15 minutes, once or twice a day. Ask your veterinarian or holistic veterinary practitioner before using any home remedy, and always follow the directions listed on the package for safe usage.
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