jeancframe Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 My 11 yr. girl has been having heavy panting and high respiratory rates for a couple of months. She has been limping and so initially I thought the panting had to do with her pain. The diagnosis appears to be arthritis in her foot, she has been on Rimadyl for approx. two months. Limping as gotten a little better and she walks out of it. During this time the breathing has continued to be an issue. X-rays indicate no fracture or tumor in the foot, her heart looks and sounds good and her lungs are clear per x-rays. I understand a dog's respiratory rate should be around 40 breaths per minute, her's frequently (everyday) get up to 130-140 and as best as I can count even up to 160/min. The vet cannot find an explanation for the heavy breathing and I don't know what to do next. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Where are you, and what's the temperature in the area where your grey normally is? Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Could be pain. Get another x-ray of the leg and send it to Dr Couto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Could be pain. Get another x-ray of the leg and send it to Dr Couto.Yup-second opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeancframe Posted July 9, 2018 Author Share Posted July 9, 2018 KF ….. I live northwest of Chicago. Temperature is hot now but the outside temperature doesn't seem to matter, as it started in April when it was still cold here. I keep the air conditioner on and the ceiling fans going so I eliminate the thought that it could be too warm for her. I don't believe that is the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutsmom Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Sounds to me like Larygeal Paralysis--something that old Labs and greyhounds can have. My 13 year-old boy, Henry, has it. We are treating it by reducing his exercise (easy with a 13 year old), keeping him cool (he has a Ruffwear cooling jacket that he wears when it gets warm, and daily dosages of Doxepin (an off-label use of this human drug). If you do a google search or search this website you will find lots of information on it. For my Henry, surgery is not an option because of his age and he has had bad reactions to anesthesia. www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/laryngeal-paralysis-not-a-death-sentence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Take her to the university (UW Madison). You or vet could chat with them about which service to see (Cardiology, Internal Medicine, etc.) before making the appointment. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cometdust1 Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Was bloodwork and full tick panel done? My dog's heavy breathing ended up being from Ehrlichiosis affecting his blood cells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newgreymom Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 I second a trip to UW Madison. They have helped us tremendously. You can take her to their emergency clinic. Please keep up posted.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeancframe Posted July 12, 2018 Author Share Posted July 12, 2018 Had blood test done on Kiley, everything came back quite normal except her thryoid. She has been on levothyroxine since late winter as she was hypothyroid, yesterday's test shows she is almost hyperthyroid and the levothyroxine can cause panting in some dogs. So we are reducing the meds to get her T4 back down and have hopes this will resolve the elevated breathing problem. Thank you to all for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 Had blood test done on Kiley, everything came back quite normal except her thryoid. She has been on levothyroxine since late winter as she was hypothyroid, yesterday's test shows she is almost hyperthyroid and the levothyroxine can cause panting in some dogs. So we are reducing the meds to get her T4 back down and have hopes this will resolve the elevated breathing problem. Thank you to all for your input. I would consider retesting her thyroid rather than just deuce the dosage. Could be she was never hypoT in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeancframe Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 Definitely, her blood will be retested. Thanks, Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeancframe Posted November 6, 2018 Author Share Posted November 6, 2018 Update: We put Kiley on medication for anxiety, Clomicalm, 40 mg. once a day, and it has definitely helped. Kiley is about as laid back as a greyhound gets and I never thought of her as an anxious dog but I thought we should try it since we couldn't come up with any other reason for her frequent panting. The Clomicalm doesn't make her drowsy as the Trazodone did, so I think we have found the solution. The only negative is the Clomicalm is expensive but if it prevents the panting it is worth it, I am going to check out Drs. Foster & Smith for their pricing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 Update: We put Kiley on medication for anxiety, Clomicalm, 40 mg. once a day, and it has definitely helped. Kiley is about as laid back as a greyhound gets and I never thought of her as an anxious dog but I thought we should try it since we couldn't come up with any other reason for her frequent panting. The Clomicalm doesn't make her drowsy as the Trazodone did, so I think we have found the solution. The only negative is the Clomicalm is expensive but if it prevents the panting it is worth it, I am going to check out Drs. Foster & Smith for their pricing. Did you retest her thyroid values? She might not nor ever was hypothyroid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeancframe Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 I will have her retested shortly for her thyroid as she is due for her blood work. Thanks for asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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