My chihuahua drank too much water, is bloated & breathing heavy. What's wrong?

It could be that Princess has a collapsing trachea. This is a common problem in toy breed dogs, and it can be brought on when drinking water or eating. I would have Princess seen by a vet. The vet can do a physical exam, blood tests, a urinalysis, and x-rays to diagnose if she does have it. Should Princess have a collapsing trachea, it can be treated medically, but it may need to be treated surgically. When a dog is obsess, that also contributes to the problem, and weight loss may be suggested. Using a harness to walk her is also recommended, as is staying away from respiratory irritants like cigarette smoke and air fresheners.

I'm so sorry to hear that! Please get him in to see a vet. Your vet will probably recommend a chest X-ray to get a better idea of what is going on. In a 9 year old chihuahua some possible causes include heart failure, pneumonia, or cancer. If he seems labored in his breathing, do not delay, please take him to the vet right away.

My biggest concern is that she may have have heart disease/failure causing the dizzy spells and fainting. This can also cause them to have difficulty breathing. The other possibility is that she has something wrong with her upper respiratory tract that is not allowing her to adequately get oxygen. This could be a functional obstruction like a cyst or tumor; or could be due to long-standing progressive disease. The shaking and seeming like she can't breathe when held could be an issue, but I would want to know how long this has been happening. Chihuahuas do a lot of shaking/shivering normally, and not for any significant reason. They can also breath-hold when being picked up, so I wouldn't be too concerned if she's done this her whole life. Considering there is a possible problem with her heart and/or lungs it's best to have a vet evaluate her sometime soon. They can easily help determine if there is any need for concern with a good physical exam and thorough consultation. I hope that helps and all is well with Bunz.

No, it's not her age, she is suffering from respiratory distress and it could be caused by various conditions such as heart failure, heartworm or lung infection, you need to take her to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked and treated.

It is possible that Roo could be pregnant? It could also be she has a pyometra (an infection of the uterus), which would also cause her stomach to look bigger and her to drink more water. I would have her checked out by a vet in the next few days as long as she is acting normally. Take her into an ER immediately if she starts vomiting, stops eating, becomes very lethargic, or has discharge from her vulva. Best of luck.

He could be panting because he's in pain, he's hot, or he has a health issue like heart disease. I would put him in a cool and dark place to see if that helps with the panting. If this doesn't help with the panting and/or he starts having trouble breathing, I would take him into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

Hello. Any breathing difficulties in a dog is a serious situation. You can try taking her into a steam filled bathroom & let her breath in the steam for 10 minutes or so. You can also try to break up the congestion by cupping you hand & gently but firmly thumping the sides of her chest. She probably really needs to see your vet to see if she needs medications such as antibiotics or something to open the air passages & reduce inflammation in her lungs in case this is pneumonia or bronchitis. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.