Dogs are quite emotional pets that can make many sounds. They bark, scream, grumble growling, whining, howling— In a dream, a dog can snore imposingly, and awake –– grunt. The latter property is often associated with physiological feature of the animal, but sometimes occurs against the background any disease. Therefore, if the dog grunts when breathing, should show your four-legged friend to the vet, he will help find out the cause and solve the problem, if any.
Content
- 1. About the natural location
- 2. Penetration of foreign objects into the respiratory the system
- 3. Perhaps the cause is a tumor
- 4. Infection with parasites
- 5. The collapse of the trachea
- 6. Paroxysmal or reverse breathing syndrome
- 7. Video on why dogs grunt
- 8. Why do sneezing attacks occur?
About the natural location
Contents
Dogs with short faces are called brachycephalus – to This rather large group includes:
- Pugs
- bulldogs;
- Pekingese
- griffins;
- sharpei;
- mastiffs;
- Shih Tzu
- Lhasa Apso;
- Japanese hins;
- boxers;
- chihuahua;
- mastiff dogs
- Pomeranian Spitz.
As you can see, among the listed breeds there are many popular that unsurprisingly – thanks to dog brachycephalic syndrome have large, expressive eyes and pretty, and sometimes funny flattened face. 
However, such a peculiar appearance has an unpleasant feature – due to the anatomical structure of the dog’s skull, the area of the nasal cavity is less than normal, so there is not enough space for complete cooling of the incoming air. As a result of this, everything dogs with a shortened face sniff and grunt heavily during breathing.
Experts consider this phenomenon natural, not bringing animal harm and not threatening health. But it is worth considering that such dogs do not have enough cooling surfaces, so they are very hard to tolerate heat and stuffiness. In this case, the pet will not just grunt, but choke on your own salivary fluid. So as air cannot cool in a timely manner, there is a risk development of heat stroke.
Situations when brachycephalic dogs are simply not so rare pass out, fainting. This condition may last. for a long time, if the animal is not helped, it may die from acute pulmonary failure.
However, not all dogs with this feature arise such dangerous cases. For example, some bulldogs have fabric, covering the upper sky, so developed that it is capable block the surface of the respiratory clearance.
While it is advisable for owners to be aware of the risks involved, arising due to the anatomical structure of the pet’s face, but constantly worried about this issue is not worth it. Such favorites from puppyhood they begin to grunt and snore heavily, to what the owner quickly gets used to.
But with age-related changes, the dog may fall palatine tissue, which will lead to a violation of normal breathing. Here It is impossible to do without professional veterinary care. Surgery is required in which excess tissue removed – the dog begins to breathe normally, and can also get rid of snoring and grunts.
The same operation is recommended for people who snore heavily during a dream. They have an attack of apnea – a stop of motor movements, can be so strong that a person during an unsuccessful flipping on your back at night may die.
Dogs have no such documented cases, however breathing problems can cause serious pathological processes in the heart muscle, lungs, blood vessels, which nor can you name the positive consequences.
Penetration of foreign objects into the respiratory system
Veterinary practice shows that this is the most common the cause of strange breathing sounds in dogs. During walking almost all dogs actively explore everything that their surrounds the nose, and there is always the possibility that they can inhale a blade of grass, a piece of paper or other rubbish.
This negatively affects the passage of air, and in breathing unusual sounds begin to arise – whistle, sniffling, grunt. But the danger lies not in them, but in the fact that the animal unable to breathe normally.
How the owner can understand that in the pet’s airways did something foreign enter?
- First of all, it is worth focusing on the sounds, especially if previously similar to the pet was not observed.
- The dog is tormented by a paroxysmal cough, up to emetic urges.
- Similar signs arose immediately after walking.
- The pet begins to wheeze, pant, grunt and hold open mouth.
If you have certain medical or veterinary skills You can help the dog yourself. Should take a flashlight and elongated tweezers, open the mouth of the dog and carefully examine it, looking into throat. If a large foreign object has penetrated into the lumen, then it will be visible already at a visual inspection.
To try to remove a foreign body, it is necessary that someone kept the animal, fixing in a convenient procedure position, since it is unlikely that such a manipulation will have to soul. Pull the item with tweezers very carefully so as not to damage the mucous membranes and do not push it deep into. If the owner does not knows how to do this, it’s best to seek professional help without aggravating the situation.
Perhaps the cause is a tumor
Dogs can also develop cancerous tumors in the body, including the respiratory tract. In this case, the tumor acts as a foreign body that blocks breathing. IN The following cases require a diagnostic pet examination:
- strange sounds when breathing appear gradually, it may occur over several months and even years;
- with the intensification of these symptoms, problems with respiratory processes, the dog often coughs;
- the general condition of the dog worsens – sluggish, lethargic, not interested in surrounding events, refuses food;
- a runny nose occurs, in which in the usual exudate appears bloody mucus and particles of destroyed tissue.
Such symptoms should alarm the owner of the dog and is a good reason to visit a veterinarian.
Parasite infection
There is a widespread belief that parasitic worms only affect the gastrointestinal tract, however it is far from the truth. Although the intestines are indeed a favorite place for worms, there are several types of helminths that prefer settle in the lungs. 
With an increase in the colony of worms, the breathing of the dog, especially the puppy, will worsen as air circulation occurs inferior. Again, the danger is not grunting or hissing, and in the fact that there were cases when the puppies died, literally panting. With progressive helminthic invasion, there is a risk that all posterity will perish!
In addition, there are certain types of parasites from the group of nematodes, which one of the life cycles spend in the lungs. In this body young individuals receive good nutrition for intensive growth and are here until they grow up. Then they move to intestines, where their “adult life” begins, followed by reproduction.
While the parasite larvae are in the tissues of the lungs, they injure the organ – alveoli and bronchi. Also through one and a half weeks nematodes begin to synthesize specific substances irritating the mucous surfaces of the respiratory system system. This leads to the development of intense coughing, sneezing, moreover, in young animals, these signs manifest themselves more actively.
When the dog breathes, gurgling, wheezing sounds come, he begins to grunt, sniffle, trying to push air into the lungs with irritated and inflamed walls. If helminthic infestation developed to a similar clinical picture, consultation is required doctor, because with delay, the dog will develop pneumonia or severe bronchitis.
Tracheal collapse
One of the unpleasant pathological processes, characterized sudden and unpredictable development. With tracheal collapse the trachea begins to shrink, decreases in size, in some cases to such a size that its complete obstruction occurs. With a decrease in its clearance, the dog grunts, wheezes, hoarses and even “quack”.
But such symptoms are far from amusing, as the dog feels bad, suffocates, keeps her mouth constantly open. On examination, you can find that its mucosa acquires cyanosis or plum shade, which indicates a strong oxygen deficiency. If this condition persists in for some time (from a few minutes, and sometimes hours), the dog may become comatose or after treatment periodic seizures will torment her. 
It is not recommended to procrastinate with medical care, as with worsening of the condition of the pet may require a tracheostomy, otherwise he will not have a chance to survive. In this case, the surgeon does neat incision of the walls of the trachea, after which it inserts into the resulting clearance is a special tube. Such a procedure called intubation, after it the animal gets the opportunity fully breathe and avoid the risk of suffocation.
But if the development of tracheal collapse is associated with any serious pathology, and the tracheal rings were severely damaged, the surgeon performs a more complex surgical intervention. With this operations replace worn sections with synthetic implants materials. They will last a long time and the dog will not experience difficulty breathing.
In practice, foreign veterinarians are already somewhat successful. operations to completely replace the damaged trachea with artificial counterpart. Similar treatment is recommended for dogs. whose disease is caused by a strong hereditary predisposition or autoimmune pathology. In such situations replacing individual rings is only a temporary measure, as the rest of your own organ will still be attacked the immune system and will be destroyed.
Paroxysmal or reverse breathing syndrome
This pathology is attributed to characteristic disorders that occur it is in dogs. During the attack, the dog can make the most different sounds – grunting, cooing, gurgling, sniffing or wheezing. But such a condition is not dangerous for himself animal, although it causes concern among the owners.
In some cases, the attack is accompanied by symptoms similar with a choke, and the owners in a panic turn to the vet clinic, that, in fact, and not surprisingly. In this condition, the pet, in addition to strange sounds, the following manifestations occur:
- the dog assumes an unusual posture of his limbs widely apart, and the back arches inward;
- eyes bulging, turn red;
- the dog begins to actively shake its head from side to side, while her drooling is flying in different directions.
With such a pronounced attack, a strongly drawn air stream can irritate the sky, provoking vomiting. All time the animal continues to gnaw, grunt, intensively retracting air and vomit flow into the lumens of the respiratory system. it a dangerous phenomenon leading to the development of aspiration pneumonia. Despite the fact that veterinary medicine is constantly evolving, this the disease in more than a third of cases leads to the death of the animal.
Video about why dogs grunt
Why do reverse sneezing occur?
Experts still have not been able to find out the exact cause. this pathological condition. But its occurrence is associated with sharp paroxysmal spasm of soft palate tissue. Assuming, that reverse sneezing in 93% of cases occurs in representatives brachycephalic breeds, doctors believe that among the main positing factors is heredity. Although is it possible talk about predisposition if almost all doggie with a shortened muzzle suffer from this violation?
Veterinarians are advised owners not to panic if an attack lasts a few seconds and does not cause serious symptoms. But it is necessary to go to the clinic if the general condition pet during reverse sneezing noticeably worsens. To help pet on the spot can be as follows:
- gently rub the nose;
- massage the surface of the throat;
- when the dog catches his breath, you should give her a drink of warm water and leave alone.
Everything needs to be done calmly, without sudden movements and panic, not It makes the dog nervous. Usually experienced owners brachycephalic dogs have experience with a four-legged friend and not are lost if a similar situation arises. And for beginners Get advice from an experienced breeder or veterinarian who will tell when grunting is really alarming. Also he give tips on caring for such a specific pet. 
A grunting dog is a pretty funny sight if it’s bulldog, pug or other doggie with original flattened face, and when he does it, not distracting from everyday affairs. But such sounds can be a sign of illness, which means are not a reason for fun, but medical treatment institution. It is worth paying attention to well-being four-legged friend and do not ignore such manifestations.
