A dog experiencing an asthma attack can be very stressful for both you and your dog. The key is to act swiftly and try to stay as calm as possible. In today’s article, we will explain everything you need to know on how to help your dog if they have an asthma attack.
How to know if your dog is having an asthma attack?
There are a couple symptoms that usually signal that your dog is having an asthma attack. These symptoms include:
Prolonged difficulty breathing
Wheezing
Breathing with their mouth open
Non-stop coughing
Lethargy
Blue gums
How to help a dog with an asthma attack?
The key to helping your dog with an asthma attack is to keep them calm. We recommend everyone leave the room except for one person, as multiple people can make the dog more nervous. Your dog might start pacing around the room while he/she struggles to breath. We recommend trying to keep your dog in one place so that they don’t over exert themselves and limit their oxygen flow. Hopefully, the asthma attack will subdue after a couple minutes. If it doesn’t you should take your dog to the vet immediately. Make sure you call them when you are on the way so they are ready when you arrive.
What will the vet do to help your dog’s asthma attack?
There are many different ways your vet will help treat your dog’s asthma attack. The might connect your dog up to a respirator to help assist their breathing. In more serious cases, the vet might put in IV into your dog in order to insert medication quickly into their bloodstream. They will likely insert some form of steroids or bronchodilators to help assist your dog’s breathing. They might also inject fluids into your dog because they will probably become dehydrated. In extreme cases, your vet might have to administer your dog antibiotics if they start suffering from an infection.
How to prevent your dog from having an asthma attack?
The best way to help a dog with an asthma attack is prevention. There are many ways in which you can significantly decrease the chance that your dog has an asthma attack. Below are the best ways to prevent your dog from having an asthma attack:
- Don’t smoke in your house
- Clean your dog’s face whenever they come inside if they have any allergies
- If you have a cat, consider switching to a litter that is dust free
- Regularly clean and dust your house. If you have carpets, regularly vacuum them
- Wash your dog’s bed frequently
- Put your dog in its own room when you have a lot of guests over
- Have your dog diagnosed with asthma by the vet if you notice chronic breathing problems. Your vet will likely prescribe your dog asthma medication which helps keep their diaphragm dilated and prevents the chances of your dog suffering from a asthma attack
- Keep a close eye on your dog, and pay attention if you suspect they might have allergies
