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Inspiratory dyspnea results from upper respiratory disorders. Associated with a prolonged and noisy inspiratory effort. Conditions include stenotic nares, nasal cavity obstruction, nasopharyngeal polyp (cats), elongated or edematous soft plate, laryngeal disease, cervical tracheal disease, etc.
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Expiratory dyspnea results from lower respiratory tract disorders. Inspiratory and expiratory dyspnea is present in animals with lower airway or pulmonary parenchymal disease. These include thoracic tracheal disease, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary contusions, pulmonary neoplasia, and pulmonary granulomatosis.
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Rapid and shallow respiration with muffled breath sounds on auscultation is present with restrictive or pleural space disorders. These include pleural effusion, pneumothorax, congenital thoracic wall abnormalities, thoracic wall trauma, thoracic wall or mediastinal neoplasia, diaphragmatic hernia, extreme obesity, marked ascites, severe hepatomegaly, large intraabdominal mass, severe gastric distention. Miscellaneous disorders include anemia, methemoglobinemia, cyanosis, compensation for metabolic acidosis, heatstroke, damage to CNS, neuromuscular weakness, pain
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Treatment: First stabilize animal, then elimination of primary cause.
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