What Can You Do At Home To Help Dogs With Asthma
In addition to medication, avoidance of the offending allergens is necessary to prevent asthma attacks in dogs. You can ask your vet about having your dog tested for allergies, which is a noninvasive procedure, to determine what your dog is allergic to. Additional preventive measures you can take include:
- No smoking or vaping near the dog
- Utilize a HEPA air filter in your furnace, or utilize a room air purifier
- Wipe your dog off with baby wipes after going outside to remove allergens
- Dont use your fireplace or burn wood near your dog
- Use dust-free cat litter if you have cats
- Remove carpets from the home and replace with hard flooring
- Use dust- and mite-proof mattress covers and pillow cases
- Dont burn incense or candles
Diagnosing Asthma In Dogs
Unless your dog has an asthma attack in your veterinarians office, it can be a little tricky to diagnose the condition. Your veterinarian will rely on your description of the symptoms and your dogs medical history. Theyll ask you about how and when the symptoms occurred as well as any history of allergies or previous asthma attacks.
They will also conduct a nose to tail physical exam and potentially order blood tests, urinary analysis, and chest X-rays. These diagnostic tools can help rule out other illnesses, such as an infection, kennel cough, or bronchitis. In addition, your veterinarian may test for heartworm disease since it can show similar symptoms to asthma.
Some Helpful Truths About Chihuahuas And Asthma
In todays highly-sophisticated world, we of course now know that chihuahuas cannot absorb a childs asthma.
But there are also many others things we now know.
Some of these facts include:
- It can sound like a chihuahua has asthma when it doesnt. The wheezing, also known as reverse sneezing, that you might have heard in your chihuahua is likely NOT due to asthma. Instead it stems from a softer-than-normal palate that is subject to irritation and a reaction from your dog.
- A chihuahua can develop asthma. Chihuahuas can also develop the lung condition known as asthma, with symptoms that may present much like those in humans. If you notice prolonged breathing difficulties, be sure to make an appointment with your vet.
- Treatment is available for your wheezing chihuahua. Most cases of wheezing, caused by soft palate irritation, are due to certain environmental allergens like dust and pollen. And just as humans can be treated for allergies, so too can your dog.
Last but not least, if you or one of your children is an asthma sufferer, be sure to check with your doctor before bringing any pet into your household.
While these pets cannot help cure your asthma, they can make it worse in some instances, triggering unwelcome attacks and unnecessary complications.
Sharing is caring!
Dont Miss: What Occurs During An Asthma Attack
You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Asthma Without Inhaler
Which Dog Breeds Are Best For Asthmatics
The good news is that there are several dog breeds that are suited for asthmatics and allergy sufferers. But you must again note the fact that no breed is 100% hypoallergenic.
You can look for dogs that dont have an undercoat. This will help you deal with a lot less shedding and resultantly curb the pet dander in the surrounding air.
Here are some popular dog breed choices for asthma sufferers:
Why Having A Dog Helps Keep Kids Asthma
Are you having an allergy-free summer? You may have Fido to thank for that.
Follow
If youre a dog person, your kids might be in luck. Research suggests that children who grow up in homes with pets are less likely to develop allergies, and now a recent study by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, sheds some light on why.
Working with mice, the scientists found that exposure to house dust from homes with a pet appeared to protect the mice against a common virus called respiratory syncytial virus , which infects the lungs and breathing passages and is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children. Severe infections in infancy are linked with an increased risk of developing respiratory problems like asthma later on.
Lead researcher Kei Fujimura and her team looked at three groups of mice. One group was fed house dust from homes with dogs, and then exposed to RSV a second group was infected with RSV without exposure to dust and a control group of mice was not exposed to RSV or dust.
The study found that the mice that ingested house dust and were exposed to RSV didnt develop the telltale symptoms of infection, such as lung inflammation and mucus production these animals looked just like the controls. The researchers then examined the microbes living in the protected animals guts, and found that the types of bacteria they harbored were different and more diverse than the bugs in the RSV-infected animals guts.
Also Check: What Can Asthma Do To You
The Chihuahuas Is One Of The Oldest Breeds Recognized By The Akc
First recognized in 1903, the Chihuahua is one of the AKCs oldest official dog breeds. Since then, the AKC has added dozens more to its list, including the Affenpinscher, Alaskan Malamute, Belgian Sheepdog, Bearded Collie, Brussels Griffon, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Lhasa Apso and many others.
A Chihuahua Cured My Asthma
Frank CagleFeature, Frank Talk
In the past year I have been treated by some of Knoxvilles finest. A surgeon, a family doctor, an oncologist and assorted other experts. Every sort of modern medical device has been inflicted on me and I need a spreadsheet to keep up with the bills. Things were not so sophisticated as I grew up in rural Alabama. When I was a child, for instance, a chihuahua cured my asthma.
I took a trip down memory lane recently, reviewing my checkered medical history while lying on a gurney waiting for yet another procedure. Medical science and any doctor will tell you that a Mexican mutt cannot cure asthma, though some were not so sure back there in the 1950s. It was seriously studied. There is no cure for asthma so I figure the country doctors had to tell desperate parents something they could do. So, it was a craze for a few years to get young children a dog and kennels full of chihuahuas sprang up in back yards. They mostly bred nervous, high strung dogs that would bite you in a heartbeat.
We named our dog Mutt, and he had the normal temperament of a normal dog. I already had a mixed breed dog named Jeff. Mutt and Jeff. Get it? So, Mutt slept in my bed every night. Looking back, I always thought it a local phenomenon, but Google tells me it was a widespread thing. Snopes tells me that some children outgrow asthma and the dog would get the credit and success stories spread.
Short takes
Don’t Miss: What Happens If You Smoke Weed With Asthma
Does A Chihuahua Cure Asthma
Does A Chihuahua Cure Asthma?
Do Chihuahuas have breathing problems? In Chihuahuas, these cartilage rings are sometimes weak or incorrectly formed. As a result, the trachea can collapse and become too narrow, leading to coughing or difficulty breathing. Most cases of tracheal collapse are mild and can be treated symptomatically with medication.
How can I get a free service dog?
Can I get a service dog for asthma? A trained asthma service dog knows exactly how to detect physiological changes before an asthma attack occurs. Service dogs for asthma are trained to: Notice and alert you to asthma triggers, such as dust, smoke and pollen. Listen for breathing changes that signal an asthma attack, such as coughing and wheezing.
What Is Asthma: A Brief Description
According to the National Institute of Health, asthma is a common, chronic lung condition that negatively impacts the airways in the lungs.
In people with asthma, their lungs and airways can become considerably inflamedlargely due to pollutants, allergens and overexertion.
This inflammation causes the bodys airways to narrow significantly, making it difficult to inhale and exhale air.
In most cases, asthma is a condition that develops during the childhood years, although adult-onset asthma is also possible.
There are many risk factors for developing asthma, and even more factors that can trigger an asthma attack.
Risk factors associated with asthma include:
- Cigarette smoke exposure. Exposure to cigarette smoke, either in the womb or as a small child, is known to increase the chances of developing asthma.
- Poor air quality. Those living in areas with a lot of smog are at a higher risk for asthma.
- Exposure to chemicals or irritants. Workplace and home exposure to a wide range of chemicals and other irritants is thought to bring about asthma in adulthood.
Other risk factors include obesity, smoking, allergies and certain respiratory conditions that cause lung inflammation.
The disease is more prevalent in African-Americans and certain Latin populations, and more boys than girls will develop the disease.
Just as smoking, smog and chemical irritants can all be risk factors for developing asthma, they can also trigger an attack.
Read Also: How Much Is A Ventolin Inhaler Without Insurance
Children Can Benefit On Living With Pets
While there is still no specific medical basis that can support the theory of Chihuahua helping with asthma, Amanda Gardner of Health.com confirms the bright side of living with pets. Children who live with pets, specifically cats and dogs, have a low likelihood of developing allergies from the same pets when they grow up. But a new study implies that it is likely only if those children have been living with their pets since they were still infants. This research confirms that exposure to pets as early as the first year of a childs life will put the allergens at bay.
RELATED: If you want to see other ideal pets for your children, read our post about the 10 Most Gullible and Lovable Pets.
Pet Dogs ‘may Help Children Avoid Asthma’
Health editor, BBC News online
Young children who have a pet dog in the home are less likely to go on to develop asthma, a large Swedish study has found.
Exposure to a dog in the first year of life was linked to a 13% lower risk of asthma in later childhood among the 650,000 children the authors tracked.
The findings, in JAMA Pediatrics, support the idea that pets can bolster the immune system and prevent allergy.
More evidence is still needed – past studies have found conflicting results.
Certainly, for a child who is already allergic to dogs, buying a puppy would not be a good idea, say the Swedish researchers.
Read Also: How To Treat Asthma Attack Without An Inhaler
The Chihuahua Has Never Won Best In Show
Held annually in New York City, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a conformation show in which purebred dogs are judged based on how well they conform to their respective breeds standards. Since its first show in 1877, however, the Chihuahua has never won Best in Show and its only won Best in Group once.
The Chihuahua isnt the only breed to have never won Best in Show. Others include the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, dachshund, Shih Tzu, Shetland Sheepdog , and Miniature Schnauzer.
Treatment For Severe Asthma Attacks In Dogs
An acute asthma attack should be considered an emergency. In these cases, your veterinarian may hospitalize your dog and place him in an oxygen cage to help him breathe better.
Your veterinarian may also place an IV catheter in your dog to deliver drugs or fluid therapy intravenously. Fluids may be administered if the pet is not eating or drinking or if the pet is dehydrated. IV medications can include bronchodilators and/or steroids. If there is an infection, IV antibiotics may be indicated.
The three mainstays of treatment include a bronchodilator to open up airways, an antihistamine to reduce the allergic reaction, and a steroid to reduce inflammation of the airways.
Bronchodilators could include aminophylline, terbutaline or theophylline. Steroids could include, among others, prednisone, prednisolone or dexamethasone. Both bronchodilator and steroid medications will require a prescription from your local veterinarian.
Antihistamines that are commonly recommended include diphenhydramine and loratadine. Temaril-P is another drug that is often prescribed by veterinarians that contains both an antihistamine and a steroid.
Recommended Reading: Qvar Weight Gain
The Right Reasons To Get A Chihuahua
If you are planning to buy or adopt a Chihuahua for an asthmatic member , then please be aware of the fact that this therapy does not work.
There are many good reasons to buy or adopt a Chi. .
The best reason to get a Chi is that it can be very therapeutic. Dogs help relieve stress and they make loving companions.
Chis are even more special since they are inherently cuddly, sweet-natured, and affectionate dogs. Dogs are also known to have stabilized blood sugar levels in diabetics. They can definitely prevent obesity in owners by making them more active and are also very beneficial for ones heart health.
Does Chihuahua Help Asthma
No. This is a myth and Chihuahuas do not really help cure or eliminate asthma symptoms.
In fact: no dog can cure any medical condition more so a chronic condition like asthma.
You might have heard of certain dog breeds being used for medicinal purposes. However, a Chihuahua treating or curing asthma is definitely a myth and it does not work.
There are many good and bad reasons to get a Chihuahua as a pet:
Read Also: Are Chihuahuas Good For Asthma
Please Dont Abandon The Dog
The worst thing is that many people get Chihuahuas for the sole purpose of curing their childs asthma only to find out that the said therapy does not work.
They then abandon these poor dogs since they dont have the time or effort to spend on training them. Many Chis end up in the shelters due to this.
Hundreds of dogs are then put down as they are deemed untrainable or aggressive. All this for no fault of the dog.
How Do You Treat A Dog With Asthma
How is canine asthma treated?
Dont Miss: Is Asthma A Pre Existing Condition
You May Like: Side Effects Of Nebulizer
Pets Can Double As Asthma Antidote
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Nov. 16, 2018 The hygiene hypothesis holds that early exposure to a variety of microorganisms may decrease the risk for chronic inflammatory diseases, like .
Two Swedish studies that tracked 650,000 children found that exposure to farm animals and even dogs can have this kind of beneficial effect. Living on a farm cut kids rate by half. Just having a dog in s first year was linked to a 13 percent lower risk of later on, the researchers reported.
Most Americans dont live on farms, but these findings show that raising a baby in a household with a dog might have benefits beyond love and companionship. Early exposure to cats as well as dogs may offer some protection from developing allergies and asthma, health experts suggest.
Other steps can also help prevent childhood asthma.
First, dont smoke or allow anyone else in your household to smoke. Smoking when pregnant increases the chances of your baby wheezing during infancy. And continued exposure to secondhand smoke has a direct tie to asthma and other respiratory illnesses in kids.
Also, try to breastfeed baby for at least four to six months to strengthen his or her immune system and help avoid infections that start in the lungs, common asthma triggers.
Other suggestions:
Why Does My Chihuahua Sound Like He Cant Breathe
It sounds like the dog is trying to inhale a sneeze, and it is therefore known as reverse sneezing. Reverse sneezing is often caused by irritation of the palate/laryngeal area. It causes a spasm in the muscles of the pharynx. Reverse sneezing is characterized by honking, hacking or snorting sounds .
Do Chihuahuas Take Your Asthma Away?
Can cats prevent asthma? But did you know that they can also help prevent asthma in newborns? That is the conclusion of a new study by scientists from the Copenhagen Studies on Asthma in Childhood Research Center , Denmark. Cats neutralise the effect of a gene that, when activated, doubles the risk of developing asthma in children.
Are Bichon Frise good for people with asthma? A toy breed, Bichon Frise dont shed fur and dander like other dogs, making them a good choice for asthma or allergy sufferers.
What dogs are best for asthma sufferers? Afghan Hound. Afghan Hounds are known for being aloof and dignified. American Hairless Terrier. Bichon Frise. Chinese Crested. The Coton de Tulear is a small, hardy dog that is happy, eager to please, and loyal. Giant Schnauzer.
Also Check: Does Weight Gain Make Asthma Worse
Why Is My Dog Clearing His Throat
Just like you, a dog might cough to clear his or her throat. Since your dog explores the world mostly with the mouth and nose, its easy for dust, dirt, grass, and other foreign materials to enter the throat and cause a cough. A simple cough now and again is probably just your dogs way of clearing those materials out.
You May Like: Can You Run A Fever With Asthma
Caring For A Dog With Asthma
If your dog is prone to asthma, youll want to minimize their exposure to allergens that might cause an attack. For instance:
- Purchase a room air purifier to help remove particles in the air that can trigger an attack.
- Bathe your dog regularly and dry them off with a soft towel afterward. Choose a safe, unscented shampoo made for dogs.
- If you have a cat, go with dust-free cat litter. You should also put the litterbox in a place where your curious pooch cant get at it.
- Wipe your dog off with pet-safe wipes after going outside to remove pollen and other allergens from their coat.
- Vacuum often, including area rugs, carpeting, and any fabric chairs or couches that your dog likes to nap on.
- Consider removing area rugs and replacing carpeting with other types of flooring. Even with regular vacuuming, they can hold in allergens, such as dust mites and mold.
- Clean tile and hardwood floors using unscented products. You can also use a mixture of vinegar and water as a safe floor cleaning alternative.
- Avoid using scented air fresheners or deodorizers. You can place shallow bowls of baking soda around the house out of paws reach to absorb odors.
- Wash your dogs bedding and blankets frequently using fragrance-free laundry detergents and fabric softeners.
- Keep your dog out of rooms or other places where people are smoking or vaping.
- Avoid burning wood in fireplace or stoves. You can use fake logs or battery-powered candles for a gentle glow that is safe for pets.
Also Check: Ashma Symptoms