Don’t we love our dogs when they snort? But if your dog is snorting, it’s not always a good sign, to begin with. Many times, snoring can be a signal of breathing problems in dogs. Dogs with breathing problems snort more than usual.
Any dog can suffer from breathing problems and they suffer immensely. It troubles them a lot as they are continuously struggling to breathe comfortably and properly.
While it is essential that if you witness any sign of it, you should immediately contact the vet to figure out everything about your furry friend’s health. There are a few particular signs that you need to have in your brain in case you are trying to guess if your dog suffers from any sort of breathing problem.
Who is most prone to breathing problems?
Mostly, it is the brachycephalic dogs who suffer from breathing problems. Brachycephalic dogs are dogs with flat faces. They have a short head comparatively. The dogs that have flattened faces are more prone to suffer from breathing problems.
The genetics of brachycephalic dogs is in the manner that their skulls have a different bone structure. This bone structure that they have makes it a little difficult for them to breathe properly. It restricts the movement of the air in their breathing passages.
In some of the flat-faced dogs, you can witness short noses. It makes it really hard to breathe because the dogs with short noses have short nostrils which further restricts the flow of air. The more difficulty there is in the flow of the air, the more it would be difficult for dogs to fill their lungs with air and they will encounter breathing problems. Such will be situations in dogs with breathing problems.
Breeds more prone to suffer from this problem-
This can be pretty easy to guess as all breeds which have a flat face and small nose with small nostrils are more prone. Some of the famous dogs with breathing problems are Bulldogs, pugs, French bulldogs, Boxers, Shih Tzus, King Charles Spaniels, Boston Terriers.
There are a few more breeds like Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Fila Brasileiro, Dogue de Bordeaux, Brussels Griffon, etc which can also suffer from breathing problems but probably less.
To have a figure, almost 50% of Pugs and Bulldogs suffer from breathing problems.
The Brachycephalic breeds are anyways at more risk of additional health problems. They might suffer from eye infection issues, skin issues, and sometimes dental issues too.
Why is your dog having breathing problems?
- Some specific breeds have flat faces and flat noses– In these breeds, there is not enough passage for the movement of air, hence they naturally suffer from breathing issues. For eg. Breeds like pugs and bulldogs.
- Obesity and overweight– Just the way it works in humans, the more the weight, the more the complications. And the complications start with breathing problems. The more weight means they have more fat in their body. The fat acts as a barrier to the smooth passage of air creating issues in breathing.
Try to make exercise a routine for your dog and ensure a healthy and active lifestyle for them. Make sure you are providing a well-balanced nutritious diet to your dog.
- Allergic issues because of a few foods or something else- Sometimes, you might not be aware of your dog’s allergies. Maybe you are feeding something to your dog which is not going well with their system. For this, it is recommended that you get an allergic checkup done for your dog.
If the breathing problem is because of the allergy, you need not worry much. Just stop feeding your dog the products he/she is allergic to. Over a period of time, their body would be fine. In extreme allergic cases, it is recommended to contact a vet.
- Asthmatic issues– If your dog suffers from asthmatic issues, he/she will naturally suffer from breathing issues. Get the proper treatment for asthma from a vet. Follow the medications religiously. Use a vet-recommended inhaler for emergency situations when you feel your dog is choking.
- Seasonal cough– Sometimes, when the weather changes, the dogs might catch the flu. It may cause a blocked nose and cough. Because of it, your dog might suffer from breathing issues for a while. But the moment their flu is gone, they will be perfectly fine.
- Tumors– If your dog suffers from any kind of tumor in any part of the body, he might have a few issues with breathing. Just tell your vet who is treating the tumor, they will give your dog some prescriptions for breathing issues too.
- Heart diseases– It somewhere relates to overweight and obesity. In the case of being overweight, your dog will develop heart disease. And eventually, he/she will have problems in breathing.
- Pneumonia– If the dog has caught pneumonia, he/she will have a breathing problem until the pneumonia is cured.
- Traumatic injury in the past– Trauma can impact a dog in many ways. The traumatic memory can make them choke. Have an inhaler for such situations.
How to know if your dog is suffering from breathing problems?
You need to keep an eye on the few symptoms given below to know if your dog is suffering from breathing problems-
- More than usual snoring.
- Noise while breathing.
- Opening mouth while breathing.
- Signs of choking.
- The tongue color changed to blue.
- Flared nostrils mostly.
The level of symptoms differs though, from dog to dog. These symptoms are sometimes accentuated by a few physical factors too like the environment. In hot and humid and summery weather, there is more probability of prone dogs showing the symptoms mentioned above.
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Sometimes dogs that are overweight or obese also suffer a little more than the other dogs from breathing problems. If you want your dog to lead a healthy life in every aspect, make exercise a routine in their lives. It is so important for dogs, even more than humans to lead an active lifestyle. It helps a lot in dealing with breathing problems too.
But even if by any bad luck, your dog suffers from this problem of breathing, you don’t need to worry. The vets’ can come to the rescue, approach one, and follow the medication and routine that they suggest.
On your end, you can take the help of the products that are available in the market to give some relief.
Here in this article, you are going to find five such products available in the market that can come to the rescue in the breathing problems of dogs.
Products are available in the market-
1. No-pull dog harness
Since we are talking about dogs who suffer from breathing problems, you can guess how much a harness would hurt them in the neck. But without a harness can not work too. So to the rescue of the dog parents and to the comfort of our dogs, there exist a no pull dog harness in the market. This harness shifts the pressure from the head and neck to the chest unlike the normal harness available in the market.
These harnesses are available in different sizes, depending upon the age and size of the dog. You can even find some attractive designs and colors in these harnesses.
This harness would ensure that your dog can have all the fun of walking out on the roads, playing in the park, going out on a walk with you without the discomfort of a harness which might restrict breathing.
One very attractive feature of these harnesses is that they have reflective strips on them. It ensures that you can have a safe and secure walk with your dog out on the road even in the dark.
You can find them online and in pet shops as well. Grab one for your furry friend as soon as possible. You would not regret it.
2. Orthopedic Pet bed
Ever since we were little kids, we have heard our grandma saying, sleep well, you will feel good. Well, that is now a proven fact. A night of good sleep can help you with many problems. This is something that dogs share with us. A good night’s sleep for them is as essential as for humans. Especially when it comes to dogs with breathing problems, a good night’s sleep is very essential. Dogs with breathing problems have a little difficulty when it comes to sleeping.
They have trouble breathing while sleeping and it makes it further difficult for them to sleep. What might come to the rescue is an orthopedic pet bed available in the market.
An orthopedic pet bed is a bed that helps in relieving pressure on the different spots of the body. It helps in providing some support to breathe easily while sleeping.
These beds are particularly made for dogs and cats. They come in different shapes and sizes. They have different designs and colors too. It makes it easy for you to choose the one that you and your dog desire. Find one, either online or on the conventional pet shops to make your dog sleep well at night.
3. Cooling mats
As you already know because we mentioned before more humid and warm weather creates trouble for the dogs who already have breathing problems. To avoid the suffering that weather can bring with it for our dogs, there is a solution available in the market.
You should invest in a good quality cooling mat. It can provide extreme relief to your dog from that extreme heat that summer brings. Considering climate change and global warming, the temperature in summer is a little higher than it used to be, so cooling mats can come to the rescue. It helps them is decreasing their body temperature and hence decrease their trouble with breathing.
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These cooling mats have gel in them to have a cooling effect for long hours. These mats are available in the market in different sizes and attractive colors. It is easy to operate them and they do not require the tedious process of refrigeration.
They are even easy to store, can be rolled to store, and do not occupy much space. It is easy to carry them along if you happen to go out on a picnic with your furry friend on that warm afternoon. Carry them along if you are on a trip with your dog.
4. Earth rated dog wipes
Most of the time, the dogs who suffer from breathing problems suffer from skin problems too. They have some sort of skin allergies which are sometimes painful too. In this situation, it is not easy for you to use water or make your dog bathe every now and then. In these types of situations, wipes can come to the rescue. These wipes can help your dog when you need to wipe a particular area on your dog’s skin, the areas which are irritated because of the allergies. These wipes can help in calming and soothing the irritated parts of the skin.
If you happen to be environmentally conscious and a little worried about your footprint on the earth, worry not. These wipes are plant-based, are compostable, and do not leave any footprint as such. Altogether, there is no loss in using them. Go for it.
5. Enzymatic dog toothpaste
We are aware by now that dogs having flat faces and flat noses with small nostrils are more prone to breathing problems. What we do not pay attention to is the fact that brachycephalic dogs often deal with dental problems. This is particularly because of the shape of their skulls. In this case, it is very important to take care of their oral hygiene to prevent further issues in their body as they are dealing with a lot.
It is recommended that you buy the dog’s oral hygiene kit. It consists of dog-friendly toothpaste, toothbrush, dental wipes.
Please make sure that you are not using regular human toothpaste for your dog. Human toothpaste has a few ingredients that can be fatal for dogs. Specifically buy the toothpaste which is made for dogs. Initially, your dog might resist this, but you need to be consistent with this brushing their teeth. Brush their teeth at least thrice a week to save them from any future complications.
The toothpaste available for dogs comes up in the flavors that your dog would love, so don’t worry if they resist initially, they will be okay with the practice after a few sessions.
Even if your dog doesn’t suffer from breathing issues, it is very important to practice a dental care routine for them. So whichever dog you have and whatever complications they are having, make dental care a norm for them. Even if your dog is perfectly healthy right now, start brushing their teeth as the sooner the better.
It is very unfortunate to see your dog going through any problem. Breathing problems can be a real pain to watch. In this case, apart from the treatment, you are getting for your dog, you can try to make their lives a little more comfortable by doing whatever you can. The five products mentioned above can play a role in that.
Buy any of them or all of them, whatever appeals to your heart.
We wish a speedy recovery to your dog.
Have a beautiful, happy and healthy life full of fun with the sweet creature you have.
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