Symptoms can appear subtle at first due to the amount of time it takes for scar tissue to form in the lungs. You may notice that your pup is panting a little more than normal, or it may seem like he has to exert abdominal effort in order to catch his breath.
Healthy dogs can return to normal respiratory rates quickly after exercise, but any dog who is breathing more than 60 breaths per minute while at rest should be evaluated by your veterinarian. For dogs who have heart disease, respiratory rates higher than 48 breaths per minute are a cause for concern.
Over time, your dog may avoid exercise altogether, and he will develop a cough. When they overexert themselves or find themselves in stressful situations, you may see his tongue start to turn a bluish or purplish color. This is calledcyanosis and it occurs because your dog’s red blood cells aren’t carrying enough oxygen. Dogs in this state can also faint or collapse, a condition known assyncope.
When your veterinarian listens to your dog’s lungs, she should hear clear lung sounds in all lung fields as your dog inhales and exhales. Dogs with pulmonary fibrosis will have harsh crackle sounds. Diagnostics such as blood work, x-rays, and heart ultrasound (echocardiogram) can help to rule out causes for this. In some situations, advanced diagnostics such as bronchoscopy, CT scan, and lung tissue biopsy will be necessary for a more definitive diagnosis.
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