Canine respiration rate

[Tuckervill]

You can hear her pass gas, too, and that is only marginally better than the silent but deadly ones! lol.

I started out giving her active culture yogurt when she was extremely skinny, but I've run out. Maybe it's time for some more.

Karen

[BikeMomma]

I took her in, and the vet took blood and put it in a little device that tests for lots of stuff. She came up negative for everything except Ehrlichia, and that was mildly postiive. That means she could be developing it from a recent tick bite, or have had exposure in the past. So she's on a round of doxycycline and then it should all be okay.

The vet suggested that if she's fighting the Ehrlichia she might be having recurring fevers and that could cause her breathing to accelerate for cooling even if she's not panting. I don't think that's it, but it could be.

Awesome, Karen -- that's great news. I'm not totally familiar with Ehrlichia, so I found this link: Ehrlichia Infection in Dogs. It was helpful to me, so maybe it will be a useful reference for you and others. Interestingly, it says at Stage 1 they tend to go off their food, which could have contributed to the starved look. Just a thought.

It does reference anemia as being a symptom, as well as fever. Both anemia and fever could elevate the respiration. I agree with your Vet's assessment of the fever/breathing relation. Panting is the involuntary way dogs cool themselves. Although I'm not a Vet and have never claimed to be, I have been around alot of sick dogs working at the hospital and have witnessed closed-mouth panting many times.

Sounds like Lucy has a bright future. Yay!! You sound so relieved, too. Hey do you have any pics of her? I'd love to see the little gal (I guess she's not little at 50lbs though, huh?).

~BikeMommma

PS: oh yeah.....my Mayah farts the deadliest of any silent ones I've ever known AND belches quite loudly. Nothing ladylike about her, the brut. Gotta love them pooches!!