If dogs wheeze strangely, this can indicate existing illnesses or injuries to the respiratory tract. This is especially true if breathing is unusually fast, loud, labored or even irregular.
Depending on the cause, there are usually other pathological symptoms that can be used to limit the triggers.
Below you will learn about the most common potential causes of the strange wheezing and how to recognize them.
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#1 Quick snorting
If your dog is breathing quickly, this could be due to the following illnesses:
If the pump of the blood system is not fully functional, less oxygen-rich blood reaches the organs and muscles.
Typical symptoms include heavy panting, chronic breathing problems and rapid exhaustion. Old four-legged friends are particularly affected by this. [1]
The usual body temperature of dogs is between 38 and 39 °C. However, if the immune system fights against viruses or inflammation, fever can occur.
You can usually recognize it when the dog snorts quickly, coughs suddenly or even starts to shake. In addition, the ears are usually hot and the nose is dry.
Stressful situations cause stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to be released in the dog's body. This also increases the heart rate.
Affected four-legged friends usually tuck their tails, adopt a stooped posture or hide. Constant yawning and licking of the lips are also common.
There are red and white blood cells in the blood. The red particles are, among other things, responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the organs.
However, if you have anemia, there are too few of them. You can usually tell if the dog gets tired quickly, sleeps a lot and snorts strangely.
If the calcium content in the blood is too low, doctors speak of hypocalcemia. The best way to tell is that the dog is shaking.
Among other things, it can also manifest itself in excessive panting, restless behavior and sudden seizures. Affected dogs also frequently rub their faces. [2]
Small breeds at a young age usually pant much more quickly than large breeds at an older age. Between 15 and 30 breaths per minute are the norm here.
During the growth phases, young four-legged friends can also breathe much faster. This is usually an indication that the body is currently working at full speed.
Dogs find it much more difficult to regulate their body temperature in summer than humans. This is primarily because their fur greatly insulates their own heat.
Our four-legged friends also have significantly fewer sweat glands than we do. During a heat stroke, both the heart rate and the breathing rate increase sharply.
If dogs wheeze quickly, it can indicate heart failure, anemia or heat stroke. The symptoms may also be due to fear, stress, hypocalcemia, the age or even the size of the dog.
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#2 Loud panting
If your dog is breathing loudly, the following reasons are usually behind it:
When bacteria or viruses attack the lower respiratory tract, doctors also speak of bronchitis. It is often triggered by allergies.
It can be recognized primarily by the fact that the dog coughs heavily, suddenly wheezes and has an increased pulse. But general lack of motivation can also indicate this.
If the nerves in the larynx lose their function, paralysis can occur. The consequences of this can usually be seen when breathing, drinking and eating.
On the one hand, it can be seen from the fact that affected dogs often choke. On the other hand, the four-legged friend also snorts strangely and his gums turn increasingly blue.
- Hyperthyroidism
If the thyroid produces too many thyroid hormones, the entire organism is constantly running at full speed. And that has consequences.
Typical symptoms here are that affected dogs suddenly lose weight, get chronic diarrhea and become constantly hyperactive. [3]
In breeds with a flat face, the trachea increasingly collapses due to breeding. Fortunately, this occurs rather gradually.
This can usually be recognized by the dog wheezing, choking more often and also panting loudly. Shortness of breath also occurs quickly during physical activity.
If viruses, fungi or bacteria attack the nasal mucosa, inflammation can occur. The result? The entire nasal canal narrows.
In addition to breathing problems, there is also usually a strange discharge from the nose. In addition, affected dogs sneeze and snore excessively.
An upper respiratory tract infection is called kennel cough by doctors. It is also colloquially known as “dog flu”.
You can usually tell if the dog appears very lethargic, has a fever and is panting strangely. A runny nose and constant coughing are also common. [4]
If your dog struggles with allergies for genetic reasons, then contact with the corresponding allergies will usually result in an allergic reaction.
What is typical here is that the dog scratches itself heavily, suddenly coughs or even vomits. It can also cause breathing problems, glassy eyes and a runny nose.
If dogs wheeze loudly, it can indicate bronchitis, laryngeal paralysis or allergies. In individual cases, an overactive thyroid, a collapsed trachea or even an infection of the upper respiratory tract are also responsible.
#3 Heavy panting
If your dog is having difficulty breathing, it could be due to the following illnesses:
Various injuries and illnesses can cause water to build up in the dog's lungs. This limits functionality.
You can usually tell if your four-legged friend suddenly coughs, appears weak and makes strange noises when breathing. A bluish tongue is also common.
If dogs accidentally swallow toxic plants, foods or even chemicals, serious poisoning can occur.
What is typical here is that the four-legged friend suddenly vomits, starts shaking and snorts strangely. In severe cases, if left untreated, seizures can also occur. [5]
Dogs with asthma are very sensitive to certain irritants. Inhaling pollen, perfume or smoke can lead to paroxysmal shortness of breath.
Strong coughing, excessive panting and pale gums are also among the most common signs. There is currently no cure for this.
If your dog is breathing quickly with his mouth closed, this may indicate narrowed nasal passages. Dogs with a flat face in particular suffer from this.
This strange wheezing is due to breeding and primarily occurs during physical activity or extreme heat. In severe cases, surgical correction can help.
The greed and curiosity of young dogs more often causes them to swallow indigestible things. Tennis and golf balls in particular are the classics here.
But insect bites or tumors can also constrict the airways, causing breathing problems. Affected dogs usually pant heavily or even choke.
Every extra gram of fat puts pressure on the neck space and can cause the windpipe to become increasingly narrow. Brachycephalic dogs are particularly affected by this.
This can usually be recognized by the dog panting heavily, suddenly wheezing and quickly running out of breath. A change in diet can help here. [6]
Since the lungs act as a kind of air pump, inflammation also has a direct influence on its functionality. This is usually caused by viruses and bacteria.
Affected dogs often develop a fever, appear lethargic and constantly cough. It is also noticeable that they tire unusually quickly and their noses run.
If dogs breathe heavily, it can be an indication of poisoning, asthma or even water in the lungs. It may also be due to narrowed airways, severe obesity or even inflammation of the lungs.
#4 Irregular wheezing
Irregular breathing often has the following triggers:
In healthy dogs, stress hormones are only released in stressful situations. However, in dogs with Cushing's syndrome this becomes a permanent condition.
The most common sign here is that affected four-legged friends suddenly drink and eat a lot. But recurring inflammation and hair loss are also typical.
If your dog breathes quickly while sleeping, this is usually due to very vivid dreams. This is particularly common with young four-legged friends.
What is typical here is that dogs start to twitch or even bark while they are sleeping. Irregular wheezing with longer pauses in breathing can also occur.
Some foods have a side effect that can affect either the lungs, the heart or even the blood. The latter in particular is common.
It is usually noticeable that the dog sleeps more than average, has a more or less appetite and changes in drinking behavior. [7]
Statistically, overweight dogs or those breeds with a short snout are most likely to stop breathing during sleep.
Loud and regular snoring is considered one of the strongest indicators. Among other things, it can also be recognized by the fact that dogs breathe strangely at night.
Ticks are one of the most common external parasites on dogs. Without an appropriate treatment, dogs can easily get up to 50 ticks in the summer.
You can usually tell if the dog is breathing strangely, the area is swollen and there is redness in the middle. Fatigue and loss of appetite are also common.
Fortunately, among all types of cancer, a lung tumor is relatively rare. However, this cancer is known to spread very quickly.
Only around ⅔ of all dogs experience symptoms. Breathing problems such as rapid, irregular or even heavy breathing are among the first signs. [8]
If dogs breathe irregularly, it can be due to hormonal disorders, dreams or side effects of medication. In some cases, the symptoms can also indicate tick bites, sleep apnea or even cancer.
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