Often we see dogs and cats coughing or sneezing frequently and think it is normal. But who knows that such symptoms can be life-threatening to pets to the point of causing death? Although observing symptoms of respiratory diseases may be quite difficult, it is an important disease that has the opportunity to cause immediate death in pets. Therefore, owners should learn about the initial danger signs that dogs and cats show so that they can take them to see a veterinarian immediately. When our children may have respiratory diseases, how do we know? Let's check the symptoms.
4 symptoms that indicate your dog or cat may be suffering from a respiratory disease
1. Dry or runny nose
Normally, a healthy animal's nose is slightly moist. So when we find that a dog's or cat's nose is unusually dry or has more mucus than usual, it may indicate illness, fever, or a bad sign of the respiratory system. However, in the case of some short-faced breeds of dogs, such as Pugs or French Bulldogs, they may have a runny nose during changes in the weather or after their owners take them for more walks than usual.
Ways to observe the characteristics of mucus that indicate abnormalities include:
- There is a constant runny nose and the pet licks its nose frequently.
- The mucus is thick and yellow or green.
- The mucus flows from one side only.
- A change in the color of the mucus, such as pink or red, may indicate that blood is mixed in.
2. Sneeze
In pets, sneezing is easily noticeable and resembles that in humans: the animal shakes its head and sprays mucus through its nose. This can be caused by the following:
2.1 Common cold. Causes of a cold include:
- Airborne dust allergy symptoms
- Respiratory tract infection
- Sinusitis
- Nodular or foreign body disease in the nasal cavity
- Irritation of the respiratory tract and attempts to expel the contents of the nasal cavity
2.2 Reverse sneezing
Reverse sneezing is the act of inhaling air back into the nasal cavity. Dogs and cats will raise their heads slightly and make a rhythmic gurgling sound. Reverse sneezing is seen in dogs or cats with bronchial stenosis or allergies.
Normally, when dogs and cats sneeze, it may be to expel foreign objects from the respiratory tract. However, if any owner finds that their dog or cat sneezes too often, they should take them to see a veterinarian for a detailed examination. Because it may mean that the pet has an abnormal respiratory system. They should see a veterinarian for further examination.
3. I
Coughing is the body's response to expel something, such as phlegm that has trapped dust in the air or foreign objects that have been choked into the windpipe. But in addition to those causes, coughing can also be caused by disease or illness. Examples of common diseases in pets that cause coughing include:
- Bronchitis, or pneumonia with bronchitis, is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
- Bronchial stenosis is common in small breed dogs, such as Pomeranians.
- Heartworm disease, which is caused by direct infection with heartworms.
- Group of tumors in the thoracic cavity or that have spread to the lungs
Coughing alone is not a very dangerous sign, unless the animal coughs with strange breathing patterns, such as rapid breathing, panting, unable to sleep, or showing signs of suffocation. However, if the pet continues to cough for a long time, the owner should rush to see a veterinarian. Do not ignore it because chronic coughing can cause problems with some organs in the respiratory tract, such as severe coughing that causes inflammation or tearing of the bronchial tissue, or coughing from heart disease caused by pulmonary edema, which must be treated promptly, otherwise it may result in the pet's death.
4. Shortness of breath or labored breathing
Dogs “panting” may be a normal thing that we see regularly because panting is a way to release heat from the body. Since the skin of dogs does not have pores to release heat that comes out through sweat like humans (dogs can only sweat between their paws). Panting is usually rapid and shallow breathing with water flowing from the tongue, mouth, and upper respiratory tract. This evaporation of water helps reduce the temperature and release heat from the body. The normal breathing rate of dogs is 30-40 times/minute, but when dogs pant, the breathing rate can increase 10 times or 300-400 times/minute. However, in some cases, such as panting until the tongue changes color or violent breathing through the abdomen, these symptoms indicate an abnormality in the animal that the owner must observe and rush to the hospital because these symptoms indicate a condition where the animal is severely unable to breathe. If left untreated, there is a chance of death.
The respiratory symptoms mentioned above can be used to help owners observe any abnormalities in their pets at home and help them decide to take their pets to the hospital to see a veterinarian. If the cause is found quickly, further diagnosis and treatment can be performed, allowing them to stay with us for a long time.
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Information from
Dr. Oraya Prapanphot (Dr. Nun), veterinarian at Talingchan Animal Hospital
English