I have a 12 year old lab who has very bad labored breathing that is getting worse quickly. It started about 6 months ago with slight labored breathing after exercise and during sleep. The vet said it happens in old dogs. It has become much worse this past week to wear he cannot walk to the end of the block and back without severe shortness of breath and heavy labored breaths (like asthma attack). Any thoughts?
very bad labored breathing
cj6530
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I have a 12 year old lab who has very bad labored breathing that is getting worse quickly. It started about 6 months ago with slight labored breathing after exercise and during sleep. The vet said it happens in old dogs. It has become much worse this past week to wear he cannot walk to the end of the block and back without severe shortness of breath and heavy labored breaths (like asthma attack). Any thoughts?
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Laryngeal paralysis: http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55597&highlight=Larpar
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I would take that dog to another vet pronto, yes it may be that your dog has an "an old-dog" disease but that doesn't mean he should suffer. I had one that got a slight cough and when her breathing became slightly labored I took her to my vet where she was diagnosed as having fluid in/around her lungs. She had congestive heart failure and I lost her within 24 hours. There are medications and things that can be done if you get a proper diagnosis but the longer you wait to get that diagnosis the less likely they will help. Good luck, but I would not mess around with someone giving me a vague "old dog" diagnosis and find out more specifically why he's short of breath.
G
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·I lost my 13 year old to this last month. His breathing became very heavy and labored, he would gag once in while which also was worse a few days before he died. Both worsened when it started getting hot. The day I lost him he ate dinner went outside he came in and started having a hard time breathing his tongue turned blue he lost control of his functions and collapsed we were able to lift him into the car and get him to the vet the vet confirmed LP and he was put to sleep You and your dog are in our prayers its very hard to lose them. I wasnt able to do surgery on Dusty as he had other health problems that prevented it so we just enjoyed every day we had with him .
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Laryngeal paralysis. I believe he nailed it. I've had a dog with it and it's horrible.
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http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/LP/
Check this group out, you may have to register, but lots of info.
FOM (Flash Of Mischief, my BLM, but I'm a chic
)
Check this group out, you may have to register, but lots of info.
FOM (Flash Of Mischief, my BLM, but I'm a chic
)G
Guest
·LP, like others mentioned... But our experience in two cases that presented themselves as LP were both tumors/masses pushing on the trachea, restricting airflow.... Would be worth getting a few xray views done to confirm. Will say a prayer for your pup that you can find a resolution. In the meantime, I recommend air conditioning, a box fan, and minimal exertion outdoors when it's lukewarm or higher.
I have never had experience with LP and hope never to, but I know it's just a matter of time...
I have never had experience with LP and hope never to, but I know it's just a matter of time...
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LP, like others mentioned... But our experience in two cases that presented themselves as LP were both tumors/masses pushing on the trachea, restricting airflow.... Would be worth getting a few xray views done to confirm. Will say a prayer for your pup that you can find a resolution. In the meantime, I recommend air conditioning, a box fan, and minimal exertion outdoors when it's lukewarm or higher.
I have never had experience with LP and hope never to, but I know it's just a matter of time...
A malamute of ours had a tumor like this but you couldn't see it from a side x-ray.It wasn't found until they took the x-ray from a top view and you could see the wind pipe going around the tumor.
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I don't know how specialized they are with pulminary ailments, but I was just at Mary Tatum's place here in Houston yesterday and I was very impressed with it. She and one her techs are field trialers so they understand what our dogs do. Brittmore Animal Hospital is larger than most vet hospitals I've seen, they have a number of vets there, you can check them out online, but it would be better to call them 713-468-8253.
Years ago my older Golden developed similar symptoms, a chest x-ray nailed down the cause of his problems.
Good luck with your buddy, I hope it's something simple and curable.
John
Years ago my older Golden developed similar symptoms, a chest x-ray nailed down the cause of his problems.
Good luck with your buddy, I hope it's something simple and curable.
John
I have a male lab that was diagnosed with Laryngeal Paralysis when he was just 2 at the Univ. of Minnesota. I was told if he had tie back surgery that he would asperate water while swimming and weed seeds and stuff if hunted on land and that he would get pnuemonia and most likely die at a fairly early age. I was told that if he didn't have the tie back surgery he would have a tough time breathing and would not be able to hunt much. We thought about it over night in our hotel room in Minneapolis and decided against the surgery. Well, I kept a close eye on him while hunting and he is a duck and pheasant hunting machine. If anyone knows me or Jake or have hunted with us they always remember Jake. He has retieved over a 1,500 pheasnts and over 1,000 ducks in his life and is now 14 years old and he just keeps going. He has his coughing spells and I had to really watch him on warmer days. This past hunting season he only hunted on 4 days and that was when there was snow on the ground. There are different causes of Laryngeal Paralysis but one preventable cause is lead poisoning. If you have a dog in a kennel or in the yard that has access to and painted surface that may have lead paint this can cause the problem if the dog chews on that surface and swollows some of the paint.
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I would check with Mary also she knows her stuff. Took my dogs to her when i lived in Houston.
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As other have said it could be LP, but it could also be a chronic lung infection (bacterial-fungus) with fluid in the lungs, or pneumonia which old dogs can become prone to, that's affecting breathing. In any case a x-ray or ultra-sound should confirm either. Don't mess around with breathing problems, I almost lost my girl to a chronic bacterial lung infection, because symptoms would come and go, by the time we got in she had 75%-80% fluid in both lung and 2 collapsed lobes. Better safe than sorry, don't buy into the old dog argument.
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Depending on the part of Houston you live in...
Gulf Coast is located on the West 610 Loop
If you are located south there is Bay Area Veterinary Specialists.
Good luck.
Janet
Gulf Coast is located on the West 610 Loop
If you are located south there is Bay Area Veterinary Specialists.
Good luck.
Janet
G
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·Prayers are sent
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