Is my dog with a small trachea getting enough air? She's gasping.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bambi. I'm wondering if she has something like a collapsed trachea causing her breathing issues. You see problems with breathing in the condition with excitement and exercise, and it does worsen over time. This can explain what is going on with her. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain this is the cause. I recommend having her seen by a vet in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing her problems, and can discuss treatment options with you. If she does have a collapsing trachea, treatment options include medical management or surgery. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. With these symptoms I am very worried about what could be going on with Miss Piggy. If she was exhibiting respiratory problems last night and then fell over, she could have passed out due to lack of oxygen / blood to the brain. I would be worried about primary heart disease / failure and respiratory disease that has lead to these symptoms. Seeing that Miss Piggy is older in the photos, heart disease and respiratory disease are definitely my top suspicions. I would strongly recommend that you get her seen by an emergency veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would have her blood tested and have x-rays taken of her chest to see what is going on. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do in the meantime for her if this is her heart or respiratory disease. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear that your little girl isn't doing well. If she is urinating and defecating because she is losing consciousness because her airway is obstructing from the collapsing trachea, then yes, you might need to consider either a procedure where a stent is placed to keep the airway open (last resort procedure that has complications and is very expensive), or euthanasia. I would discuss with your vet about why she is urinating/defecating and if she is losing consciousness or not. Also, in the meantime, discuss with your vet about medications to try to decrease the coughing (codiene phosphate liquid, linctol, steroids possibly),but keep in mind this is not a cure, but might help slightly, but has side effects and might not help at all. Unfortunately, with severe collapsing trachea, sometimes euthanasia is the most humane thing to do. I am sorry she is so sick.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Chancey's coughing and gas can be caused by two different conditions. The cough can be due to an infection, heart enlargement, or a mass. The gas and loss of appetite can be caused by intestinal parasites, eating something she shouldn't have, or intestinal inflammation. A vet can perform a physical exam, bloodwork, and x-rays to determine what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment. If you believe that Chancey is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

What a sweet girl! I'm sorry the two of you are having go through this. Tracheal compression would most likely lead to a cough, which tends to be sort of honking sounding cough. If there were to be compression very high on the trachea/at the larynx, that would likely cause a persistent almost sucking noise with each breath. This is also quite distressing, and you would be able to tell that Lupita was working too hard to move air. Dogs often start to look cyanotic when this happens, meaning their tongue appears almost blue in color. Fortunately the trachea within the neck has quite a bit of wiggle room side to side, so its unlikely that Lupita's current issue will obstruct her airway. I hope thats helpful! Good luck with her! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Unfortunately, this does sound like a problem that should be sorted out by your veterinarian. This could be an infection like tracheobronchitis, or even more serious like pneumonia. I would have Crystal seen as soon as convenient. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Cooper is having wheezing episodes. There are a variety of causes for what you are describing, including an upper respiratory infection, tracheal irritation, asthma, allergies, or another underlying issue. As they are persistent and non-resolving, I would recommend Cooper be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to try to determine what may be going on, have any necessary testing done (xrays, etc) and start a treatment plan if needed. Good luck!