How to Overcome and Avoid Wheezing on Your Dog
Asthma is a condition where a person has difficulty breathing (commonly called "dyspnea"). People who have asthma, when breathing will emit sounds that sound like wheezing and also experience shortness of breath caused by the upper airways that twitch and narrow (trachea & bronchi). Dogs like humans can develop asthma, although in dogs, this disorder is usually caused by bronchitis allergy. In dogs, this condition is almost always due to an allergic reaction to something in their environment, which causes an inflammatory reaction in the upper airways.
Very often, allergens are something that dogs inhale. Allergic bronchitis that is long suffered can damage the tissue lining the respiratory tract, causing damage related to chronic bronchitis which is more permanent. Symptoms called "asthma attacks" can vary, from mild respiratory problems to severe dyspnea which can cause the dog to have shortness of breath or suffocation. When the condition becomes severe like this, usually the asthma has become chronic and can not be cured. In more serious problems, the dog begins to breathe through the open mouth, the gums and other membranes change color to blue-purple, which is due to lack of oxygen. When asthma becomes this severe, dogs need emergency treatment from a veterinarian to survive.
Symptoms of Bronchitis Allergy in Dogs
Bronchitis allergy in dogs more often affects dogs that are young to dogs that are middle aged, although older dogs can be attacked as well. The hallmark of allergic bronchitis is chronic, dry cough, which can attack slowly or suddenly. Other characteristics are:
- Respiratory disorders (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, sounds like whistling/wheezing, and dyspnea)
- Breathe through the mouth
- Cough (dry)
- Pale mucous membranes (blue gums)
- Sluggish
- Can not exercise
- Lack of appetite
- Losing weight
Asthma tends to attack dogs less when compared to cats, asthma in cats is a frequent disorder. Signs of asthma that can be seen in dogs vary from mild to severe signs. Very often, the cause of this asthma cannot be identified. Some dogs become weak, stop eating and lose weight because they feel uncomfortable with the condition. When this happens, the dog's condition usually progresses to the chronic bronchitis stage, where asthma is progressive and cannot be changed. Fortunately, allergic bronchitis in dogs is a rare occurrence and can usually be cured effectively by administering drugs. If your dog shows signs of difficulty breathing, accompanied by a dry cough, take your dog to the vet immediately.
Risky Dogs
Allergic chronic bronchitis, or asthma, is more common in older dogs, small breed dogs both male and female, although large breeds cannot be ignored. Dogs that have been exposed to allergens in an environment are at risk of developing this asthma disorder; These allergens include cigarettes, cigarette smoke, firewood stoves, fireplaces, carpets, or floor cleaners, deodorants and also air fresheners/air fresheners.
