Symptom Triage｜Breathing and Coughing

FAQ

What does open-mouth breathing in a cat mean?

Open-mouth breathing in a cat is treated as an emergency in almost every case and calls for immediate care. Rapid, laboured breathing with the abdomen heaving may come from heart disease, pulmonary oedema, pleural effusion or airway obstruction in brachycephalic dogs and cats. Keep stimulation to a minimum on the way to the clinic, and you can check whether the mucous membranes look blue and whether exercise tolerance has dropped.

猫の開口呼吸は何を意味しますか。 — 猫の開口呼吸はほぼ例外なく急症とみなし、直ちに受診してください。呼吸が速く努力性で腹部が大きく動く状態は、心臓病、肺水腫、胸水、あるいは短頭種の犬猫の気道閉塞に由来することがあります。病院へ向かう間は刺激を減らし、粘膜が紫色になっていないか、運動耐性が落ちていないかを確認できます。

What does open-mouth breathing in a cat mean? — Open-mouth breathing in a cat is treated as an emergency in almost every case and calls for immediate care. Rapid, laboured breathing with the abdomen heaving may come from heart disease, pulmonary oedema, pleural effusion or airway obstruction in brachycephalic dogs and cats. Keep stimulation to a minimum on the way to the clinic, and you can check whether the mucous membranes look blue and whether exercise tolerance has dropped.

My dog coughs all night but stops once we reach the clinic. What should I do?

Film it first. The cough has often stopped by the time of the visit, so a video of how it looks and sounds is the most useful evidence; also record how often it happens and what triggers it, such as exercise, excitement or night-time. A persistent cough calls for a veterinary visit; with breathing difficulty or blue mucous membranes it is an emergency.

犬が夜中ずっと咳をするのに、病院では咳が出ません。どうすればよいですか。 — まず動画を撮ってください。受診時には咳が止まっていることが多く、その場の様子と音を記録した動画が最も有用な証拠になります。起こる頻度と誘因（運動、興奮、夜間など）も記録してください。咳が続く場合は受診が必要で、呼吸困難や粘膜のチアノーゼを伴う場合は急症です。

My dog coughs all night but stops once we reach the clinic. What should I do? — Film it first. The cough has often stopped by the time of the visit, so a video of how it looks and sounds is the most useful evidence; also record how often it happens and what triggers it, such as exercise, excitement or night-time. A persistent cough calls for a veterinary visit; with breathing difficulty or blue mucous membranes it is an emergency.

How can I spot an early signal of worsening heart disease at home?

Count the sleeping respiratory rate. While the animal sleeps, count chest and abdominal movements for one minute; this works for both cats and dogs, and a persistently rising sleeping respiratory rate at home is an early signal of worsening heart disease. If the figure stays high, or blue mucous membranes and reduced exercise tolerance appear at the same time, seek veterinary care.

自宅で心臓病悪化の早期の信号をどう見つけますか。 — 睡眠時の呼吸数を数えてください。眠っている間に胸と腹の動きを一分間数えます。猫犬とも同じ方法で、自宅での睡眠時呼吸数が上がり続けることが心臓病悪化の早期の信号です。数値が高いまま続く場合や、粘膜のチアノーゼ・運動耐性の低下を同時に認める場合は受診してください。

How can I spot an early signal of worsening heart disease at home? — Count the sleeping respiratory rate. While the animal sleeps, count chest and abdominal movements for one minute; this works for both cats and dogs, and a persistently rising sleeping respiratory rate at home is an early signal of worsening heart disease. If the figure stays high, or blue mucous membranes and reduced exercise tolerance appear at the same time, seek veterinary care.