Diagnosing Lung and Airway Disorders Chest and neck x-rays may be helpful when obstructive upper airway disease or an airway obstruction is suspected. Chest x‑rays are typically done for dogs with lower respiratory signs such as cough, rapid shallow breathing, or labored breathing.
Bronchoscopy allows your veterinarian to look directly down the trachea and respiratory passages to identify problems (see below). Transtracheal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage are techniques that collect material from the trachea and lungs for microscopic examination to look for causes of cough (see below).
Dogs that have bacterial pneumonia usually have a high fever, difficulty breathing, decreased exercise tolerance (tire easily), are lethargic, and/or have a cough. Other signs that may be present include a nasal discharge, loud breathing, rapid breathing, weight loss, anorexia, and dehydration.
The prognosis is guarded, with many dogs dying from progressive lung failure within 12–18 months.
Signs of ARDS include increased respiratory rate, blue discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes (gums, insides of the eyelids) due to poor oxygen delivery, and, occasionally, coughing. Some affected dogs may have pink, foamy fluid from the mouth or nose, which is coming from the dog's lungs.
With treatment dogs generally recover well from pneumonia, but if the condition is left untreated symptoms may become severe and serious complications can develop.
Bacterial pneumonia is a common clinical diagnosis in dogs but seems to occur less often in cats. Underlying causes include viral infection, aspiration injury, foreign body inhalation, and defects in clearance of respiratory secretions.
They can include fever, moist or dry coughing, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and a lack of appetite. It can be difficult to tell at home what is causing your dog's illness. That's why it's important to take them to the veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment plan.
This includes normal heart, lungs, blood vessels and bones. Evidence of heart enlargement, fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), fluid in the pleural cavity (pleural effusion), air in the chest cavity (pneumothorax), tumor and/or fractures are all abnormalities.
A honking noise, stridor (high pitched continuous squeal usually on inspiration, or breathing in), or stertor (discontinuous low pitched sound like a clicking or snore) heard from a dog with collapsing trachea, laryngeal paralysis, or brachycephalic syndrome, may indicate that the pet is having trouble getting air in ...
The pet's chest is measured with a special ruler and the exposure time of the X-ray machine is set. The pet is then placed gently on his side to obtain the “lateral” view. Invisible X-rays then pass from the tube of the radiograph machine, through the animal and onto the X-ray film underneath the pet.
Appropriate treatment will slow the progression of the disease and will relieve distressing symptoms. With proper management, most dogs with COPD enjoy a normal life expectancy and an excellent quality of life.
Signs that point to COPD include crackling sounds in your dog's chest as he or she inhales or exhales, sinus arrhythmia, a normal or low heart rate and chronic cough.
Eye or mouth swabs.
Your vet may grow a culture to see exactly which virus or bacteria is causing the infection.
Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia in dogs and cats may include a moist or productive cough, rapid respiratory (breathing) rate, nasal discharge, loud breathing sounds, malaise/depression, loss of appetite, and/or weight loss.
Serious complications due to secondary infection, such as pneumonia, are possible. This lung infection can cause labored, noisy, rapid breathing with a cough that becomes moist rather than dry. It needs prompt veterinary care to prevent serious illness or loss of life.
Staphylococcal Infection (staph infection)
Caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus sp., staph infection is the most common bacterial skin infection found in dogs. It's a zoonotic risk, which means dogs and humans can transmit the infection between one another.
Doxycycline is the preferred empiric treatment for canine and feline upper respiratory tract infections owing to its probable effectiveness against primary bacterial pathogens such as Bordetella bronchiseptica, Mycoplasma species, and C felis, as well as numerous secondary bacterial pathogens.
Whether your pet was hospitalized or was able to be treated at home, it will take about two to three weeks for your pet's lungs to fully recover from a bout of pneumonia. During this recovery period, your veterinarian will have your pet on antibiotics and will instruct you to restrict your pet's activity level.
So it's easy for dirt, grass, or unwanted materials to enter your dog's nose or throat that cause irritation — and then coughing. However, if your dog has a cough they cannot shake, there may be something more going on. Your pup could have a virus, bacterial infection, or another underlying health condition.
Chest X-rays are taken to evaluate the size and shape of the heart and look for lung changes such as the presence of fluid. Blood and urine tests are performed to give an indication of any other disorders in the body. Liver and kidney function are often impaired in patients with heart disease.