Dog Respiratory Problems:
Signs, Causes, and What to Know

Signs of a respiratory problem

The respiratory system has many parts, and there are just as many reasons a dog can run into trouble with it. Any of them can make breathing harder, so it pays to know what to watch for. If your dog is already struggling to breathe, don't wait. That's a vet visit right now.

The common signs are the ones you'd expect: sneezing, coughing, chest congestion, a runny nose. They're easy to spot, and thankfully usually the easiest to clear up.

The less common signs are the ones to take seriously: nostrils that flare when they breathe, a crackle in the breath, wheezing, shallow breathing, or loud, heavy breathing with the mouth closed. If any of these stick around for more than a day or two, don't wait it out.

The conditions behind the signs

Dogs can run into several kinds of respiratory illness, from allergies and kennel cough to pneumonia, influenza, and distemper. It's worth reading up on the specific symptoms to get a sense of what your dog may be dealing with.

Kennel cough (also called the canine cold, or Bordetella) is the most common of them. That dry, hacking, honking cough sounds alarming, but it's rarely as serious as it sounds. It's much like the common cold in people: a nuisance more than a danger, and one you can usually see your dog through at home. There are plenty of home remedies that help. The exception is a dog who is very young, very old, or already run down. In those dogs it can worsen into something more serious, like pneumonia.

Some respiratory conditions can't be undone, and we won't pretend otherwise. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and canine distemper have no known cures. Even so, dogs living with them can be helped a great deal by daily supplements that calm inflammation and build the immune system back up. A solid diet and regular exercise are worth it for every dog, and they matter that much more for a dog fighting one of these.

What feeds it, often from inside the house

Plenty of things can feed a breathing problem, and some of them are sitting right in your house. Aside from the contagious diseases (canine influenza, kennel cough, and the like), everyday things your dog breathes in can set it off too. Some obvious ones: cigarette smoke, carpet powders, air fresheners, cleaning and aerosol sprays, and some perfumes. Remember that your dog's nose lives a lot closer to the floor than yours does.

Teeth matter here too, more than most people expect. Bad breath is often a sign that unfriendly bacteria are building up, and not just in the mouth. They can be collecting in the lungs and the gut too.

Allergies and yeast play a part in respiratory trouble as well, and those you have to address from the inside out. Most canine nutrition experts will tell you health begins in the gut, because roughly 80% of a dog's immune system lives in and around the gut, so what happens there either helps it or hurts it. That's why strengthening the immune system matters more than anything else in getting past a respiratory problem, and why immune-supporting nutrition in the daily diet does so much of the work. (If your dog also itches, licks their paws, or has ear trouble, the Allergies & Yeast shelf is the other place to read.)

Where the way through begins

What a vet recommends depends on the type of illness and how far along it is, anywhere from over-the-counter supplements to steroids and, once in a while, surgery. If your dog isn't in a severe or emergency situation, it's worth doing a little reading of your own first. It's very possible you can help them with simple, natural support, and that's what these guides are here for. Book a free consultation and describe what you're hearing. We'll tell you honestly what it sounds like, including whether a vet visit makes sense.

It's hard to watch a loved one suffer, pet or person, and sometimes the only thing we can do as good pet parents is keep them warm and loved while they're uncomfortable. What you can do is back up the body's own effort to clear the problem, and help head off a secondary infection before it starts. Much like us, dogs do best on a steady diet and plenty of love. The Breathe Easy Bundle puts the supplement side together, with an interactive guide that walks you through each step.

The Breathe Easy BundleOx-E Drops for the vaporizer and the bowl, Antioxidant Treats for the immune system underneath, and the interactive step-by-step guideSee the program →