Dogs are breathing heavily or due to respiratory system abnormalities

Obstructive abnormalities of the upper respiratory tract limit deep breathing, such as nasal cavity or nostril stenosis or obstruction, functional abnormalities of the throat, polyps in the nasopharynx, or Tumors, tracheal collapse or compression, acromegaly.

Lower respiratory diseases cause poor alveolar gas exchange function, such as pulmonary edema, pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumonia, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, bronchiectasis, emphysema, lobar torsion, primary or metastatic lung tumors, and asthma . Diseases of the pleural cavity such as pleural effusion, pneumothorax, mediastinal tumors, and diaphragmatic hernia.

Perhaps due to abnormal heart function

Poor heart function is also one of the causes of heavy breathing in dogs, such as heartworm disease, pulmonary embolism, and abnormal development of cardiopulmonary blood vessels. Left ventricular congestive heart failure such as mitral valve atresia, left-to-right congenital accessory pathway, cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation. Insufficient cardiac output such as arrhythmia, subaortic or pulmonary stenosis, and cardiac tamponade. Bypasses from the right heart to the left heart such as open ductus arteriosus, quadruple malformation of Fallot, dextro-aortic malformation, etc.

Or due to blood diseases

Insufficient blood oxygen transport capacity, such as anemia (there are many reasons that can cause anemia in animals), degenerative hemoglobinuria, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Because the oxygen content transported in the blood is very low, the dog needs to breathe heavily to obtain more oxygen, which results in heavier breathing.

Dogs may also breathe heavily just after exercise or in hot weather

In addition to physical reasons, dogs may also breathe heavily under normal circumstances. Under normal circumstances, a dog that has just finished exercising will definitely breathe heavier and faster. In summer, because the environment is stuffy and hot, dogs will breathe heavily in order to dissipate heat. These are normal conditions. After the dog calms down, his breathing will return to normal soon. If the dog has this condition very early and the condition gradually gets worse as time goes by, it is basically caused by disease or poor heart function. Owners should send the dog to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible.