Canine Asthma Symptoms
While the condition is somewhat rare, asthma can occur in dogs and in extreme instances can be fatal. Canine asthma comes with symptoms similar to the human kind and is most often brought on in dogs by allergic reactions to certain triggers such as smoke, cold air or stress. Asthma symptoms in dogs are scary for the animal and pet owner alike; luckily there are treatments that can minimize or eliminate them.
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Identification
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The most obvious symptom of asthma in dogs is when the canine cannot breathe. It will be wheezing and gasping to catch its breath, with lots of coughing. This occurs when canine asthma constricts a dog's airways to its lungs, filling them with thick mucus that makes the passage of air difficult. Constant coughing is something a dog owner needs to be aware of as this could indicate minor to moderate asthma.
Types
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You may not witness an asthma attack when your dog does have one, especially if you have just brought the dog home for the first time, so recognizing some of the other types of symptoms is important. You may see the dog as it is recovering from an episode of asthma; it will be breathing heavily without having just exerted itself and it may be breathing rapidly, taking one shallow breath after another. You may notice some gradual weight loss in your dog, since one of the symptoms of canine asthma is lack of appetite. If your dog seems lethargic, it may also have this condition.
Features
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Severe asthma attacks in dogs are rare but they do occur. A dog being unable to breathe will become frightened and panic just as humans to do as they undergo a bad attack of asthma. The dog may be pawing at its face or moving in an unusual manner as it tries to find a way to get air into its lungs. It may have a confused and scared look on its face as it fights for every breath.
Considerations
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These asthma symptoms in dogs can last as long as a half-hour. Most dogs that develop canine asthma do so between the ages of 2 and 7 years old. It is difficult to diagnose since there is rarely a veterinarian present when the symptoms come. Many diseases will need to be discounted before a diagnosis of asthma is reached. Conditions such as kennel cough, heartworm, lungworm and infections come with some of the same symptoms of asthma. Chest X-rays and studying tissue samples from the dog's trachea will be taken; if no other explanation for the symptoms surfaces, your vet will prescribe asthma medications.
Prevention/Solution
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There are many effective medications on the market for battling asthma symptoms in dogs. Among them are antihistamines and certain steroids and antibiotics. There are even canine inhalers available that perform the same function as in people. They can open up tightened airways in an asthma attack. For those dogs with terrible asthma symptoms, supplemental oxygen may be needed. However, most dogs with asthma can live a normal life with proper medication.
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