Have you heard a clicking noise when dog breathes near you? Don’t take it lightly, this clicking noise can be a symptom of a respiratory problem. Read on to know what all could be causing the noise.
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If you keep a pet dog at your home, you might have noticed a strange clicking noise coming out of your dog when he or she is breathing or panting. If you are unsure what causes this sound to come out of the dog, you might start to think about all the negative possibilities!
Some dog owners struggle to find the source of the noise, but in most cases, this sound is coming from the dog’s airway or mouth. This clicking sound could mean that your dog is suffering from some sort of respiratory issue.
We will discuss some of the possible conditions further in this article.
The Clicking Noise Could Indicate A Tracheal Collapse
Sometimes the clicking sound that you can hear from your dog’s mouth can be due to the trachea in cases where the tracheal tube collapses. A dog’s trachea has plenty of cartilage rings on them. In a healthy dog, these cartilage rings would be in perfect shape. If the trachea’s shape is ideal, it will remain rigid and friendly.
Your dog might experience some issues when some changes occur, and these cartilage rings grow softer. After some time, these cartilage rings would lose their shape, eventually getting flat and collapsing.
Smaller breed dogs most commonly suffer from a tracheal collapse. This mainly occurs when a dog is very excited and starts panting. This excessive panting can lead to clicking noises from their mouth.
Laryngeal Paralysis Can Also Lead To A Clicking Noise
Laryngeal Paralysis is also among the conditions that can cause your pet dog to make a clicking sound while breathing. This condition does not only affect the dog but also affects the dog’s breed.
You can see many cases of this condition in labradors or retrievers. The cause for the clicking sound can be due to the flap present on the larynx on the windpipe. This larynx closes when the dog swallows something.
You may find the dog’s suffering from this condition to suffer from panting or noisy breathing. There also might be a temporary change in the voice of your dog.
COPD And Its Effects
This condition can make breathing quite difficult for your furry friend. Dogs suffering from this condition are more passive and less active when exercising. COPD is a type of progressive lung condition.
The dog suffers from a restrictive airflow coming out and going into the lung in these conditions. COPD is a severe condition, and it is also irreversible in most cases. COPD patients also develop chronic bronchitis in later stages. Older dogs can be diagnosed with COPD due to their increasing age.
The main causes for COPD occurring in dogs is not entirely clear till now. Researchers need more time and resources to find the root cause for this condition among the dogs.
The inflammation of the respiratory system in dogs can be due to the intolerance of irritants in the air. Your pet dog can be exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, or harmful chemicals in the air. These chemicals can become the root cause of respiratory infections in the future.
Elongated Soft Palate
Your dog can make a wheezing or clicking sound while breathing if they have an elongated soft palate. Most dogs with short noses and flat faces can be classified as brachycephalic dogs. Dog breeds that fall under this category are bulldogs, boxers, pugs, etc.
These dogs have a soft palate due to their facial features. These dogs have shorter nostrils and longer windpipes, so they can make clicking sounds while breathing.
You can often confuse these dogs with snoring while they are awake. Sometimes the clicking sound from your dog’s mouth is not an issue for significant concern. It can be a rare occurrence where your dog is too tired or excited to make these sounds while breathing.
It Is Not Always A Cause of Concern
Clicking sounds from dogs can be due to simple reasons, such as the mucous membrane of your dog being dry. If your dog’s throat is dry, they can also suffer from this problem.
You will be able to remove the sound if your dog drinks more water and salivates often. After some time, the noise should be reduced or stopped altogether.
A clicking sound is produced when the tongue of the dog hits the roof of its mouth. The clicking sound that you hear can also be because of the movement of your dog’s language. They can find this sound interesting then replicate the direction of their tongue to make a similar noise.
Treatment For Noisy Breathing
The most efficient methods for treating noisy breath are surgical methods. You should avoid any risks with their respiratory systems as there is a high risk of respiratory collapse.
Common surgeries include shortening the elongated soft palate so that air can pass freely through the windpipe and there is no clicking sound while breathing.
If your dog’s nose is being obstructed by something, then doctors can remove such things during surgery. Shorter breed dogs can also opt for enlarging their nasal holes for adequate breathing.
The success rate for all these surgeries depends on the stage at which you bring the dog in for treatment. If your pet dog is already at a critical stage, there is less chance of success, but if you manage to bring them at earlier stages, you might not need surgery for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my dog have COPD?
Does my dog have COPD?
If he has a lasting cough that does not seem to go away, you should get your dog checked for COPD.
COPD is a condition in which the airways or the breathing tracts are restricted. The patient suffering from this condition experiences difficulty in breathing. You can know whether your dog has COPD if he or she has suffered from a chronic cough for more than a month.
A persistent and lasting cough can be among the early signs of this condition. Some dogs suffering from COPD can also gag while they try to breathe. If you let this condition worsen and reach later stages, your dog can also grow weak and faint due to exertion while living.
How can I help my dog with COPD?
You can discuss with your vet about giving him drugs that help in respiration.
You can help your dog with COPD by providing proper care and treatment for them. If your pet dog suffers from severe symptoms of COPD, then hospitalizing them may be the best solution. If you can identify this condition in its early stages, your dog can get better quickly.
After consulting with your vets, you can give your dogs corticosteroids, and these steroids help reduce inflammation in the lungs and respiratory system. Your main objective should be to ease breathing for your dog.
There are different medications for COPD based on the severity of your dog’s condition. Your vet will be the best individual to guide you and your dog through this condition.
When should I be concerned about my dog’s breathing?
When should I be concerned about my dog’s breathing?
If you find weakness, lack of energy and difficulty in breathing.
If you see your dog regularly breathing at a rapid pace even if they are at rest and not excited, you should start monitoring the situation. Suppose you see your dog breathing rapidly when he or she is sleeping or at rest, then this could be a sign of major concern.
You should be concerned about your dog’s breathing if they take fewer breaths per minute. If your dog’s breath rate per minute is less than 30, then it is a cause of concern.
A breath rate around 30 is considered normal for a dog, but if you find this rate to be greater than 35, you should consider consulting with your doctor. Your doctor will be able to carefully examine the past breath rate from previous tests with newer data and then conclude.
Your dog could be suffering from some sort of respiratory distress. Some other symptoms you should be concerned about are red brick gs lm your dog if they start to become pale and if you notice any labored breathing. In some cases, your pet dog might also make a clicking noise when sleeping or breathing.
How do you know if your dog has respiratory problems?
Typical symptoms may include a long cough, breathing difficulties and gagging.
You can know whether your dog is suffering from respiratory problems if you pay close attention to the symptoms. Some common signs that indicate a respiratory issue are a lasting cough, persistent dry cough, rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, gagging while trying to live, and other symptoms.
The majority of these respiratory problems can be cured easily if you can detect them early. Sometimes people tend to ignore symptoms like a clicking noise coming from the mouth of the dog.
A Few Final Words
The clicking sound coming from a dog while breathing or sleeping can be a symptom of an underlying problem. As responsible dog owners, you should not take such things lightly.
If you notice some issue with your dog, you should take them immediately for a check-up and treatment. Respiratory issues among dogs are quite common as the air surrounding us is continuously deteriorating. It is best that you take apt measures to protect your pet dogs from such conditions.
Thank you for reading the article. You might also like to read about: Why Does My Pet Dog Squeak When He Yawns?