breathing problem in my dog

Question
QUESTION: My dog is having difficulties breathing. She is heaving and gasping.  I can hear her tummy gurgle like there is air from the gasping.  The vet took exrays and says her heart and lungs are fine.  There are white spots in her throat but he says that shouldn't be causing this.  He put her on prednisone and it seemed to be helping but in the last 3 days she has had an episode about midday where all of a sudden she starts breathing really hard and even foams at the mouth.  She becomes very restless but has trouble moving around.  Then she will vomit about 3 times.  It will seem as though she's getting a little better.  Her tongue is red and she's drooling alot.  I gave her allergy medicine in case this is an allergic reaction.  Last time she got better right away and slept throught the night and was fine the next day.  This is day three and it has started again.  Almost the same thing.  I don't know what to do?  Is she gonna get better or should I put her down.  Bandit is 11 years old...

ANSWER: You need to contact your vet again about this so that he knows what is going on.

The gurgling gut sounds are very typical just before a dog starts to vomit, but those symptoms you described sound exactly like heat stroke. http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/heat_illnesses.html Is there any chance that this is what could be happening to her?

Karen

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QUESTION: Dear Karen, Thanks for the reply but just to let yo know Bandit died an hour and a half ago.  I really don't think it was heat stroke.... Kristi

ANSWER: I am so very sorry to hear about Bandit. What did your vet have to say when you told him?

Karen

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QUESTION: We do not have a vet in our town.  He is 1 hr 45 min away and only comes in on wednesdays.  Bandit had a problem with her throat swelling that is why I said it wouldn't be heat stroke.  She has a large pen with tree shade.  I also hosed her down to make sure she was cool.  Also, her breathing problems started midway through winter.  It was like asthma.  Definitely got worse if she tried to exercise.  The prednisone was prescribed for the throat swelling.  And we were waiting to see how she would do on this. Obviously not good.  I still want to know what was happening to her.
ANSWER: Probably the only way to know for sure would be to have a necropsy done, but even that might not give you any answers. My first thought was a heart issue, but the vet said that was fine. You didn't mention the throat swelling; that really does sound more like an allergy attack of some sort, but I would think that you might also notice more swelling around the face. Could there have been something in that pen that she was getting into? Like toads or something? I know some toads are highly toxic.

I also am stumped. If you do find any answers to this, please let me know.

Karen

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QUESTION: I also wondered about the pen but it is just gravel and crushed rock.  Most of which I shovel away with the dog poop.  The next door neighbor has a compost thing about 15-20 feet away?  Could that be a problem?  We don't have toad around here.  I suspect allergies because of the way it would come and go.  I just have no idea as to what.  I have 3 dogs and whatever it was only affected Bandit.  She was a beautiful dog.  I'm stumped.


Answer
I have finally caught up with an internet friend of mine who is a veterinarian, and she said this "sounds like larygeal paralysis in a large breed by what she is describing." When I asked her if this could kill a dog, she said it could because the dog basically smothers because it cannot breathe. She didn't know if that was the problem or not, but that if it was, it could have been fixed surgically.

So that is probably as close as we can get to knowing what happened to your dog. I'm sorry.

Karen