Introduction
Asthma is a condition marked by recurrent attacks of difficulty breathing (dyspnea) that may include wheezing, spasms and constriction of the large upper airways. In dogs, the disorder usually is referred to as allergic bronchitis.
How Asthma Affects Dogs
So-called “asthma attacks” can vary widely from occasional breathing problems to severe dyspnea bordering upon suffocation. Canine allergic bronchitis tends to affect young to middle-aged dogs, although older animals occasionally are affected as well. The hallmark of allergic bronchitis is coughing, which can come on slowly or suddenly and usually is dry and hacking rather than moist and productive. Less frequently, affected dogs show more marked signs of respiratory distress, such as lethargy, shortness of breath, wheezing, weight loss and anorexia. By the time this happens, the condition usually has become chronic and irreversible. In very grave cases, the dog may resort to open-mouth breathing, and its gums and other mucous membranes may turn a purplish-blue from oxygen deprivation. When the consequences of asthma become this severe, the dog needs immediate emergency veterinary care to survive.
Causes of Asthma in Dogs
Asthma in dogs typically is caused by an allergic reaction to some environmental allergen – which is usually, but not always, inhaled. The allergen itself can be virtually anything. Common inciting causes of canine allergic bronchitis include chemicals, cigarette or fireplace smoke, air pollution (smog, smoke from wildfires or crop burning), carpet cleaners or other household cleaning products, perfumes (including those in deodorant or hair spray), room fresheners, fertilizers, home remodeling products, paint, landscaping materials, pesticides, pollen, grasses, weeds or other shrubbery and animal dander (new pets, kennel or veterinary visits), among other things. Often, the precise asthmatic trigger is never identified.
Preventing Asthma in Dogs
Canine allergic bronchitis can be prevented by identifying and removing the inciting allergens from the dog’s environment, or by otherwise preventing contact by the dog with those allergens. If that cannot be accomplished, drugs are available to help manage asthmatic conditions symptomatically, although medication will not actually “prevent” the disorder.
Special Notes
Fortunately, allergic bronchitis in dogs is uncommon. Because the signs of canine asthma mimic those associated with other conditions, such as heartworm disease and other lung infections or disorders, diagnosis of asthma is only made after extensive assessment to rule out other potential causes of the clinical signs.
The prognosis for dogs with asthma is good to excellent if the inciting allergen can be identified and avoided. Long-term symptomatic treatment will be necessary in most other cases to enable affected dogs to lead relatively normal lives. If the condition becomes chronic, it will be progressive but rarely life-threatening and, with consistent medical management, those dogs should also enjoy a very good quality of life, with a normal life expectancy.