Why does my dog bark alone for hours & have breathing problems?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Percy. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian to discuss his behavior. He may be developing separation anxiety. This can be a difficult condition and is easier to manage when intervention starts early. The veterinarian will examine him and make sure that physically he is healthy. Then behavioral modifications can be discussed. Some times medications are needed in extreme cases. I hope this information helps!

Hi there! I would recommend having this checked out by your vet when you're able to. A wheezing sound in the throat, hoarseness, and/or a raspy quality to her panting or breathing are all concerning for something interfering with normal air flow in the back of her throat. This could be due to laryngeal paralysis, a growth or tumor, a foreign body, or something simple like a respiratory infection causing some swelling or inflammation in this area. Your vet can do a complete oral exam under sedation if needed to get a better look at her throat, and may also recommend x-rays or other testing to help check for abnormalities.

She could have a number of things going on including heart disease, underlying lung problems, heartworm disease or even an upper respiratory infection. Her jaw may be painful if she has underlying dental disease, a thorough oral exam is best. I can understand how worrying this can be; however the next best step here towards figuring out what is causing this is it have her examined by your vet and potential diagnostic testing done if she continue with this behavior. I would also recommend recording the time when she is having a hard time breathing so that the vet can better classify what is going on here. There isn't much you can do for her at home with breathing problems, so a vet visit is the next best step towards getting her properly diagnosed and treated. Best wishes with Channel and I hope she turns or ok. Take care.

It could be that Oakley is suffering from separation anxiety, causing him to bark when he's alone. I recommend crating him when you are gone. The crate will provide him a small space where he can feel safe in it when you are gone. You will have to slowly train him to get used to a crate. Start putting him in it when you are home and sitting nearby so he doesn't think you are abandoning him, and slowly increase the time he is in it. He can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that he has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to him in the crate. That will keep him occupied for a while. Finally, you can get a pheromone diffuser called DAP that helps dogs with anxiety and pair that will a DAP pheromone collar that releases pheromones when in contact with his skin. If these methods do not help him, then I recommend having him seen by a vet to discuss the use of anti-anxiety medications. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

If separation anxiety is suspected, the first step is to discuss the situation with a veterinarian and have the dog undergo a complete physical examination. It is important to make sure that a dog's behavior is truly due to separation anxiety and not from something else. For instance,a dog may bark when alone because he feels he is protecting his property or because he can hear another dog. A veterinarian may recommend some testing to determine if a dog has an underlying medical problem, which could contribute to behavior problems or make them worse. This is important considering he is suspected to have developed anxiety recently and quite suddenly. Tests may include a complete blood count (CBC), a chemistry panel, urinalysis, thyroid testing, a blood pressure check, and an electrocardiogram (ECG). These tests will also be important to evaluate the health status of a dog prior to being placed on any medication.

He needs to be examined by a veterinarian right away. Your vet can take an x-ray of his chest to evaluate his lungs and airway. He could have pneumonia, asthma, heart disease, or fluids in his chest. Please call your vet immediately and schedule an appointment.

Poor Rascal! It sounds like he's very fearful of many things outside, which is why he barks at them. This problem is usually very treatable, but you really need to work with a professional who can give you some hands-on guidance in how to help him with his fear - it sounds like he may also be a good candidate for anti-anxiety medication, at least in the short-term. Your best option would be to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Rascal in person and help you put together a detailed plan to help him. This plan would normally include recommendations on how to help manage him so that he isn't put in situations that are scary and overwhelming for him, training techniques to help with his fear by teaching him to associate good things with the things he's currently afraid of, and possibly medication as discussed above. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org