I THINK THIS IS URGENT - breathing problem

[Wally 'n' Leto]

We have a foster with us for a couple of days. She breathed loudly when I got her, but starting with her dinner she has sounded wetter, more goose-like.

She is active, prancing about, good appetite, has no fever, eyes are shiny and bright. But the breathing is freaking us out, I don't want to come home from work to a dead rescue tomorrow.

She was on the streets but not for too long because she's a chunk, and was in the kennel for 48 hours.

Here's a video of her breathing. Cute pics to follow, I promise.

Ruby's breathing - YouTube

[Pat's Crew]

Hmmm watched the video and she sounds like Zeus...do not see any haboured breathing there in the video
some pugs huff and puff more then others
if you seen zeus and Max together you would not believe they are brothers
the weight will have lots to do with this too..
she is adorable though

[Tinker's mom]

Always trust your instincts! It's hard to tell from the video but she doesn't look in distress.Can't really tell how she sounds.

[Wally 'n' Leto]

I just got off the hone with the president of the rescue, and we've decided that it's probably the brachy face + fat + tired + excited. I'm going to take her to my vet tomorrow, since she needs to be vetted anyhow. Thanks!

[CSollers]

She's a cute little sausage. Thanks for fostering!

[Wally 'n' Leto]

Just to close the thread, she kept waking me up with her whooping and gasping and gagging all night. It was getting worse, not better. Scot works closer to home and doesn't need to buck highway traffic, and wasn't invigilating an exam, so he's the 'lucky' soul who got to tell his boss he was going to be late for a dog we don't own, and he took her to the early morning vet clinic walk-in hours. She has an upper respiratory infection and will be fine in a few days with her meds. The video really didn't do justice to her creative noisemaking!!

She is a doll, despite being sick she greets us with a big smile, standing on her little hind legs and waggling her fat little butt. :)

[kcaudle]

Shes soooo cute!!! its funny how she kept walking in a circle...

[Tinker's mom]

Prayers she's better quickly.

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

It is always a good idea to keep some pred, lasix, hycodin and theophylline on hand when you have fosters coming and going, especially from the shelters. An overweight, stressed pug, exposed to shelter stuff is prime to having a traumatic breathing episode.

It's much easier to nip it in the bud than bring them off of a full-blown attack. My protocol for a new one who is beginning to cough or have difficulty:

5 mg. pred + 2ml Hycodin

Observe for an hour or 2, if no improvement give another 5 mg. pred. + theophylline (50-100 mg. depending on weight) and 12.5 mg. lasix.

That is full medication and you can't give more of anything for 12 hours, except the hycodin, which you can give every 6-8 hours, but 12 is better.

If they are still having trouble, bringing them into the bathroom and closing the door and running a hot shower and sitting with them in the steam can help, or creating your own steam tent with a sheet, crate and vaporizer. Do whatever it takes to ease their stress, lay with them on the floor or couch or bed, until the episode passes.

I've had several new fosters come in and have breathing issues their first night, especially the fatties. Being overweight is so hard on these dogs, but they are such food driven dogs....

Take care,
Lisa

[puglover22]

I'm glad she will be feeling better soon with the meds!
good call on taking her in!