Dr. Maro: Breathing problems In pets: Panting, snoring, raspy and open mouth breathing

As warmer weather approaches, small animal veterinarians see an increase in pets presenting with owner complaints related to “breathing problems.”

Respiratory complaints may include:

1. Noisy breathing or snoring/snorting

2. Increase in panting, rapid breathing

3. Open mouth breathing

4. Coughing

5. Sneezing

6. Shallow or abdominal breathing

7. Tongue/gums becoming lavender or bluish

8. Exercise intolerance or becoming fatigued after short bursts of activity

Those complaints can have many different underlying causes that relate to abnormalities in respiratory and cardiovascular organs, in addition to abdominal, hormonal and even cancerous conditions.

The beautiful intricacies of the workings of the body mean our organs systems are intended and designed to work in harmony. Unfortunately, when one or more of those systems is negatively impacted by infection, inflammation or cancer, all systems are impacted.

Most disease processes have a common characteristic; the lack of oxygen getting to a tissue causes organ stress, pain and eventual failure. Oxygen is needed for the health of all cellular processes.

When any organ system is suffering, the body will ask for more oxygen and an increased respiratory rate or effort will be made, even when the problem didn’t originate in the respiratory system.

Respiratory rates also increase when there is pain, fever, infection, increased exertion/activity, and/or anemia (low blood counts).

A normal resting respiratory rate for dogs and cats is 15-30 breaths per minute. Pets should breathe through their noses with their mouth closed at rest. Normally there are no audible sounds.

When a cat is open-mouth breathing, they should visit the veterinarian urgently. This is a sign of a serious problem and should be addressed with the veterinarian. Be very cautious picking up your pet, any time they are open-mouth breathing, as even the nicest pet can become agitated when fighting to get enough oxygen.

Dogs more frequently pant or open-mouth breathe to expel heat through the tongue, similar to the way humans sweat to lower their body temperature.

Some conditions that may cause rapid, open-mouth or audible breathing in pets include:

Respiratory

1. Allergic bronchitis in dogs, asthma in cats

2. Sinusitis/rhinitis – allergic or infectious

3. Stenosis or narrowing of nasal opening (nares), elongated soft palate, LarPar (laryngeal paralysis, narrowed or collapsing trachea)

4. Heartworm and other migrating parasites

5. Pneumonia

6. Collapsed or torsed lung lobes

7. Lung Bullae

8. Lung or Lymph node cancer

9. Tracheal collapse or narrowing

10. Pleural effusion

11. Pulmonary Fibrosis

12. Pulmonary hypertension

Cardiac

1. Congestive heart disease

2. Cardiomyopathy

3. Pericardial effusion

4. Metabolic

   1. Liver disease

   2. Hormone imbalances, including Cushings disease, diabetes and thyroid disorders

   3. Kidney disease

   4. Autoimmune conditions

Congenital or Obstructive Disorder

1. Cardiac defects

2. Respiratory tract stenosis – common in squish-faced breeds of dogs, cats

3. Shunts in the cranium

4. Chiari-like syndrome (brain is larger than the base of skull or first few vertebrae)

5. Anemia

6. Infectious/Fever

   1. Elevated body temperature increases oxygen demands and need to reduce temperature through panting

7. Cancer

   1. Many cancerous processes metastasize to the lungs

   2. Some tumors increase respirations through increasing body temperatures, as the growing tumor becomes necrotic (center of tumor loses blood flow).

8. Trauma, bleeding and poisons - loss of red blood cells causes increased oxygen demands

9. Immune-mediated blood and clotting

Pain

1. Pain increase respiratory rate and animals in pain do not take deep breaths to fully oxygenate.

2. Spinal pain often directly increases respiratory rate

With so many conditions able to impact your pet’s breathing, it is easy to see why veterinarians need to perform many tests to get to the bottom of a complaint that starts as a visit note, “my pet is breathing funny”.

Your veterinarian will likely recommend starting with blood tests and X-rays, but may need to recommend ultrasound and CT scans to better image organs. CT scans are the best way to image areas with high air content, including the lungs, sinuses and inner ear.

If you're concerned about an ongoing progression of noisy or faster breathing, be sure to let your vet know. Take resting respiratory rates at various times of the day and evening. If the rate is often above 30 breaths per minute, tell your vet.

To take a respiratory rate on an animal that doesn’t move its chest wall much during breaths, use a mirror in front of the nose to count the “fogging” on the mirror.

In acute cases of respiratory distress or rapid breathing, immediate veterinary care should be sought out, as some conditions can be severe and life-threatening.

In all cases, when you’re concerned about a change in your pet’s health status, your vet can help you navigate questions, tests and solutions.

Dr. Cynthia Maro is a veterinarian at the Ellwood Animal Hospital in Ellwood City and the Chippewa Animal Hospital in Chippewa Township. She writes a biweekly column on pet care and health issues. If you have a topic you’d like to have addressed, email ellwoodvet@msn.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Dr. Maro: Dealing with breathing problems In pets