Poodles are amazing dogs and we tend to appreciate how active they are and energetic. With a poodle within your surrounding you can never feel lonely or bored since they crave attention. It doesn’t matter if you have a toy, miniature or standard poodle, they are all caring and loyal dogs.
The thing is that for most people their biggest concern is when their furry friend begins to show symptoms such as breathing problems. This can be overwhelming not only for the dog only but for us dog owners.
Poodle Breathing Problems
The first thing you should know is that there are many reasons why your poodle might be experiencing breathing problems, some of which can be severe.
Excitement
This can be one of the reason behind your poodle breathing issue due to the fact that they normally breathe heavily whenever they are excited about something. A happy dog tend to breathe heavily, not only that, but they will start to wagged their tails. As soon as the fun is finish and everything seems to be fine, then their breathing issue should go back to normal.
Overheating
It might be a case where your furry friend is simply overheating. This usually occur when your dog take a long walk or they have been actively playing while the sun is hot. It’s best to keep in mind that dog doesn’t sweat and in order for them to cool down back to their normal temperature they tend to do so through breathing.
At this point you may see your poodle mouth open with their tongue hanging out. This is a good sign that their body is working fine since it is cooling itself down.
Whenever you start to notice your dog breathing heavily, then it is time for rest or provide them with water to drink.
Anxiety
This may be one of the reason behind your poodle breathing issue. There are times when dogs become excited due to fear or anxiety instead of being happy. There are many things that can cause this to occur including car rides, visiting the vet, or stressful things. These are all things that may cause your furry friend to have anxiety.
Whenever you find that your dog is suffering from this issue, we highly recommend that you help get your poodle through stressful events as quickly as possible. Once this is done, you can then expect them to go back to their regular breathing.
Allergies
There are cases where your poodle might be experiencing breathing problems due to having an allergic reaction. It can be due to allergens they breath in or what they have ate. Usually these types if reaction goes away on there own but you should still keep an close eye on your furry friend to make sure everything is good.
Obesity
Another culprit behind your poodle breathing issue might be to them being overweight. The additional weight can be a factor that cause your dog to become more stress when it comes to physical activity just by walking around the house. At this point, we suggest that you consult your vet so that you can start your dog on the right track to lose weight.
When to Visit a Vet
You should know exactly when it’s the right time to visit your local vet. If somehow you notice your dog breathing out of control, then it is time to visit your veterinarian as soon as possible. Whenever this starts to occur, you now know that your poodle is experiencing a respiratory disease. This often comes with constant whining, crying as well as wheezing.
You may even notice a form of whistling which occurs from either the nostril or windpipe. If you notice any of these signs, you may want to get your dog to a vet immediately just to be on the safe side. These are all signs that your dog is experiencing a medical issue that needs to get examined.
However, if somehow your poodle stop breathing, here are several things you can do.
- Take a look in their throat just to check if a foreign object blocks it
- If you notice an object, then you may want to attempt to remove it without causing any damage by simply sweeping a finger inside the mouth. Make sure not to use any tool in your dog’s mouth to try an remove the object as this can cause excessive damage. If a case where you haven’t seen the object but notice your poodle choking, then you may want to try the dog Heimlich maneuver.
- At this point, you can try to do CPR. If you have no clue on how to get this done, you may want to learn about CPR and rescue breaths when it comes to dogs.
- We always recommend taking your dog to your local veterinarian as fast as you can, while you are doing CPR. It’s also a great idea to consult your veterinarian over the phone while you are on your way to them for advice.
Even if your poodle breathing problem doesn’t seem to be an issue, once it’s persistent breathing that last for several days or weeks, you will still need to visit your vet. This could all lead up to a bigger problem over time.
How to Prevent Breathing Problems
There are ways in which you can prevent this from occur to your poodle. We recommend that you start with providing your dog with water at all times. What this does is assure that your dog is hydrated which is great and at lower risk of overheating. We also think it’s great to offer your furry friend love and reassurance.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that not all heavy breathing is something to be worried about and most of the times it also resolved on its own. At any moment you notice that your dog is breathing heavily, you should take the time out to check to see what is causing the issue and get it resolved.