Why is a small dog breathing heavily?

The reasons for a small dog breathing heavily include both physiological and pathological causes. Physiological reasons mainly include tension, excitement, or intense exercise, but the duration is short and usually recoverable spontaneously. Pathological causes mainly include pneumonia, heart disease, or hemoglobin reduction. If the cause is pathological, it is recommended to seek medical attention in a timely manner.

When trying to figure out the reason for a small dog breathing heavily, consider physiological causes first, such as tension, excitement, and intense exercise. The breathing difficulty caused by these factors usually lasts for a short period of time, ranging from several minutes to dozens of minutes and can be recovered spontaneously.

If a small dog frequently breathes heavily for no apparent reason, pathological causes should be mainly considered.

Firstly, respiratory diseases should be taken into account, such as upper respiratory tract infections and pneumonia. The clinical manifestations include cough, expectoration, and frequent panting. The symptoms of pneumonia are more severe, and mild respiratory infections can be treated orally, while severe infections require intravenous administration.

Secondly, consider heart diseases such as heart failure and intracardiac parasite infections. The likelihood of a small dog suffering from heart failure is relatively low, and in most cases, intracardiac parasite infections are suspected, such as heartworms. The clinical manifestations include fatigue, panting, and decreased exercise ability, which usually worsens after climbing stairs or exercising. Due to the risk of sudden death, it is recommended to bring the dog to a pet hospital for further examination and treatment.

Lastly, consider hemoglobin deficiency, which can be caused by parasite infections, food poisoning-induced hemolysis, long-term iron deficiency anemia, and hemoglobinosis. As it poses a great threat to dogs, it is advised to seek medical attention promptly.