Respiratory Emergencies: Dyspnoea In Pets
Dyspnea is a shortness of breath that involves shortness of breath. This results in a feeling of discomfort caused by poor breathing, but it can also be caused by an insufficient concentration of oxygen in the blood or an excessive concentration of carbon dioxide.
In any case, dyspnea in pets is a serious problem and should be treated as a respiratory emergency.
For this, it is essential to immediately recognize the patients who suffer from this pathology. In the emergency room, observation of the animal and physical examination of the respiratory system are the most useful tools for its diagnosis.
It is essential to observe breathing patterns.
Animals with dyspnea can be recognized by the increased frequency and respiratory effort. This is due to the sudden involvement of secondary respiratory muscles, such as the muscles in the neck or abdomen.
Thus, breathing becomes an active rather than a passive process, although it is true that this breathing effort does not always mean the presence of dyspnea.
Paradoxical breathing, however, implies the existence of dyspnea. This is because it refers to the loss of synchronization between thoracic-abdominal breathing movements.
How to recognize a patient with dyspnea?
One of the most obvious signs is the adaptation of the animal’s posture to try to facilitate the flow of air. For example:
- Breathe through your mouth.
- Lengthen your neck and lift your head to straighten the windpipe.
- Adopt an orthopneic position, that is, “correction of breathing”.
In addition to the first two symptoms, the animal prefers to stand up and open its elbows to minimize chest compression. Any artificial restriction that limits these postural adaptations can worsen dyspnea and lead to decompensation.
Second step: the physical examination
One of the first things to look for in an animal with breathing difficulties is the color of the mucous membranes. Cyanosis can provide important information about the malfunction of the respiratory system, but it only appears in the most severe patients.
The next step will be to thoroughly examine the animal’s respiratory and cardiovascular system. Auscultation of the chest and trachea may show the presence of wheezing, clicking or other abnormal sounds:
- Wheezing , known as wheezing, is associated with narrowing of the airways. If it occurs during inspiration, an upper respiratory tract pathology should be suspected, whereas if they are expiratory, they are usually due to problems in the lower respiratory tract.
- Clicks usually indicate fluid in the airway. They are caused by air bubbles inside the fluid.
- If lung or heart sounds are muffled or not heard directly, the possibility of a pleural space problem should be considered.
Why is there talk of evaluating the cardiovascular system as well? Because it can be the source of respiratory distress, as in congestive heart failure.
How to stabilize the patient?
The first reaction should include increased inspired oxygen while performing the physical examination. Ideally, the animal should rest briefly in an oxygen-enriched environment before continuing handling.
This is particularly important for cats as it allows them to calm down after transport to the clinic. In fact, the scrutiny will only continue if it is shown that it does not aggravate the animal’s suffering and, therefore, dyspnea.
The key to the treatment of dyspnea in pets is oxygen therapy.
Oxygen therapy can be done in several ways:
- Through a mask, in any patient who is lying down and agrees to wear it.
- Directly using the oxygen tube, placing it close to the animal’s nostrils or mouth. It provides a similar effect, but with much less stress for it.
- Use oxygen cages, with the inconvenience of isolating the patient and preventing further examination. In veterinary medicine, there is a tendency to take advantage of the use of incubators donated by human pediatrics.
- With the use of nasal oxygen tips for a longer period. They work well in large breeds but cause problems in brachycephalic breeds.
There are many other techniques that try to adapt to the specific situation or even the species. For example, the use of an Elizabethan necklace in conjunction with the oxygen device, creating a kind of chamber unique to the individual.
Long-term oxygen therapy should be moist to prevent airway drying. There are specially designed units that heat and humidify the inspired air.
Lastly, you need to be careful because there is something called oxygen toxicity. This means that if high concentrations are administered for more than 12 hours, damage to the lungs will occur.
