Wheezing in Dogs

Do you hear a whistling sound when your dog inhales or exhales? If your dog makes a high-pitched whistling sound while inhaling or exhaling, you must consult a veterinarian soon. Changes in the breathing pattern of your dog might be indicative of certain illnesses which is why wheezing in dogs must not be taken casually.

Causes

Several environmental or medical conditions could cause breathing problems in canines. Dogs may produce such sounds if their airways get blocked. As a result, the passage of oxygen is not smooth and oxygen has to squeeze its way through. When the right amount of oxygen doesn't reach the lungs, one is likely to hear a high-pitched whistling sound.

Allergies
Such high-pitched sounds could be caused due to an allergic reaction. Is your dog breathing through nose? Sometimes dogs may wheeze after coming in contact with certain airborne allergens. Presence of pollen, dust, smoke or chemicals from pesticides could cause an allergic reaction in some dogs. If your dog is suffering from asthma, you need to be even more careful.

Respiratory Tract Disorders
Most respiratory tract disorders have an effect on the breathing pattern of your dog. Most of these disorders have an adverse impact on the airways and also cause chest congestion. Is your dog wheezing and coughing? Dry, hacked cough, noisy breathing, gagging and sneezing are all symptoms associated with kennel cough, bronchitis or sinus infections.

Parasitic Infections
Parasites such as heartworm can be transmitted to dogs by mosquitoes. When these move on from the heart to the lungs, the breathing rhythm of the dog is adversely affected. A heartworm-infested dog becomes very weak. If your dog wheezes and coughs even after a mild exercise, you must consult a veterinarian soon. Such sounds are heard when this parasitic infestation obstructs the flow of blood. The oxygen supply gets diminished and as a result, your dog may produce sounds during breathing in and out.

Other Illnesses
Some congenital abnormalities can also be responsible for airway obstruction. If whistling sounds are also accompanied by other symptoms such as mouth breathing, snoring and snorting, your dog might be suffering from brachycephalic syndrome. If your pet makes such sounds when excited or after exertion, it may be indicative of health problems. Certain serious health problems such as congestive heart failure, tumors of the larynx, trachea and lungs could also cause noisy breathing in canines.

Treatment

Medical conditions such as bronchitis and kennel cough should not be ignored. In case your dog is prone to allergies, you must make sure that there are no allergens in the surroundings. Diseases like bronchitis, heartworm disease and pneumonia have very similar symptoms, therefore, an X-ray would help in the proper diagnosis. In case of heartworm disease and bacterial infections, antibiotics might be administered to treat the condition. If your dog had a severe asthma attack, oxygen therapy and steroids might be required. Certain homeopathic medicines can also be used to treat breathing problems in dogs. You can also try a home remedy. Let your dog stay in a steamy bathroom. Pour a few drops of essential oils on the floor. The combined effect of steam and vaporized essential oils will help in clearing up the chest congestion and opening up the blocked airways. Though these remedies might help in case of mild wheezing, in case there are other symptoms such as coughing, vomiting, nose bleeding and excessive panting in dogs, it would be better to consult a veterinarian soon.

This was some information on the circumstances under which dogs may make high-pitched whistling sounds while breathing. If you hear such sounds, it is your responsibility as dog owners to consult a veterinarian to ascertain the underlying cause and have it treated.