Canine Asthma
While many people traditionally associate asthma with humans, this illness can also affect pets, including dogs and cats. Canine asthma causes serious breathing problems and can require life-long medication to help the dog enjoy an active life.
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Description
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Canine asthma causes a dog to endure an asthma attack, during which the air passages in his lungs (or bronchi) become filled with mucous. His air passages become inflamed and constricted which makes breathing difficult.
Signs and Symptoms
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Signs of asthma in a dog include wheezing, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, panting, chest pain and violent coughing. The dog may display indications of physical distress, like gasping for air.
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Signs
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Often during an asthma attack, a dog's gums or tongue will change color and become blue or purple. A dog suffering from asthma may also refuse to eat, experience weight loss or generally have less energy.
Causes
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Canine asthma could be caused by allergens including perfumes, dust, second-hand smoke or food additives. It could also be triggered by stress.
Diagnosis
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If you suspect your dog may have asthma, it is very important to get him to the vet so that a chest x-ray can be performed. This can rule out other respiratory diseases like pneumonia or other conditions like a collapsing trachea or lung tumor .
Treatment
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Treatment for canine asthma varies with the severity of the dog's condition and includes antihistamines, steroids and epinephrine injections. This treatment is usually life-long.
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References
- Photo Credit dog image by Michal Tudek from Fotolia.com
