Respiratory distress in pets is serious business

Recently I am seeing a lot of cases of respiratory distress in the ER in both dogs and cats.

Patients that present in respiratory distress often have open mouth breathing, panting, a rapid respiratory rate and extended neck posture. This is a very serious condition, and it should be taken very seriously. Patients can become exhausted from the stress of trying to breathe and die.

Unfortunately, this can be caused by many different issues, and it can be a challenge to be able to safely evaluate the pet to try to identify the underlying cause as quickly as possible.

Some common causes for breathing issues include — but are not limited to — heart disease, pneumonia, asthma and cancer.

The recent wildfires have definitely contributed to and exacerbated respiratory issues.

Often the first strategy is to place the canine or feline in oxygen. This helps to ease breathing somewhat. Medications may be given to relax them, such as Butorphanol or Acepromazine. Other drugs such as Lasix, which removes fluid, may be given if heart failure is suspected. Other heart drugs, such as Vetmedin, may be given to make the work of the heart easier. Pain medication such as Gabapentin may also be used.

Some patients that are in severe distress may need to be fully anesthetized and have an endotracheal tube placed to open up the airway. Once this is done, it is removed and the patient is woken up.

Nebulization or delivering moisture and sometimes

medications to the lungs can help with pneumonia and other lung pathologies. Coupage, or routine striking of the chest, may help to loosen and remove mucus and debris from the lungs.

Fluid can be present in a number of places. It can be present in the sac surrounding the heart (pericardial effusion), in the space surrounding the lungs (plural effusion), or within the airspaces of

lungs themselves (pulmonary edema).

Lasix doesn’t do much for fluid surrounding the heart and lungs. This needs to be suctioned out using an ultrasound, a needle and tubing.

X-rays can be helpful once the patient is stable, to evaluate for an underlying issue. Often it can be challenging to identify if the problem is caused by a heart or a lung issue. Listening for the presence of a heart murmur or faulty valve closure can help.

A blood test called a Pro BNP looks for abnormal muscle stretch and can suggest a heart pathology.

Sometimes the X-rays may be sent out to a radiologist, just like in human medicine. Ultrasound can also be helpful, especially when removing fluid.

Patients may need to be hospitalized for several days in oxygen while receiving medications and other therapies, and unfortunately, not all pets survive.

The most important thing you can do as a pet owner is to take your companion to a 24-hour emergency facility when you notice labored breathing. This is very important because they are more likely to have an oxygen cage — many day practices do not. They are also able to care for your buddy through multiple continuous shifts, preventing the need to transport from one location to another.

Locally, most of these facilities are in the Sacramento area and include VCA Bradshaw, VCA Mueller, VCA Specialities, Vista and UC Davis.

I also encourage all clients to apply for Care Credit

(www.carecredit. com). It is extremely helpful during an emergency and takes some stress away by allowing financial payments to be made on pet care. Dr. Julie Damron, doctor of veterinary medicine, is the medical director of Stockton Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center. She has worked as a veterinarian in San Joaquin County for more than 20 years and is the founder of Loving Tails, an organization that assists the pets of the homeless.