Breathing serves two important functions for dogs: providing oxygen for the body and regulating body temperature. Normal breathing involves the inhalation of air through the nose and mouth, into the trachea, through the bronchi, and into the lungs and the exhalation of carbon dioxide and unused oxygen.
The components of breathing are:
Alteration of a normal breathing pattern can cause a change in the breathing rate, a state of labored breathing, or both. Since breathing is under both voluntary and involuntary control, breathing patterns should be evaluated with the dog at rest in a cool environment.
An increased breathing rate without difficulty in breathing can be caused by:
The first three causes are natural and no real cause for alarm. The remaining causative agents indicate an illness is present and must be treated by a veterinarian.
Noisy breathing may be caused by:
Deep, forceful breathing without signs of airway obstruction can be caused by: