Having lungs and airways means you can get asthma. Unless you have gills and live in the sea it is likely that all the other living beings on land around you are breathing via those 2 super important organs in your chest. So, can a dog get asthma? Yes, they can, as they are breathing, and we all likely know someone who has a daily appointment with their maintenance inhaler or keeps a rescue one with them. We all need to breathe, and so with this entry we will look at how to treat dog asthma.  

Asthma in dogs is more commonly referred to as canine allergic bronchitis, and just like it is for us humans dogs are born with it. So that means they will likely present the same breathing difficulties with asthma that we do at a young age, and inflammation is at the root of the problem in the same way too. Treatment for dog asthma needs to be centered around inflammation reduction the same way, and corticosteroid medications have always been best for doing that. This is what you need to do with can a dog get asthma attacks. 

It is also helpful for pet owners to know that asthma in dogs or cats is often more closely connected to some having some type of allergic response to a trigger. This is why pet asthma is not termed canine asthma and is canine allergic bronchitis instead. That is a noteworthy distinction with can a dog get asthma, and it means that owners will do well if they can be aware of these allergen triggers and how they may be affecting their dog. These include grasses, pollen, ragweed, dust mites, air pollution, smog and smoke, and fertilizers. 

Face Factors  

You may think that your pooch has the cutest face ever, and no one here is going to suggest otherwise. But continuing with can a dog get asthma attacks we can also tell you that your dog’s face may be an indicator in whether or not they are likely to have dog asthma. Dogs with flatter faces like bulldogs, boxers, and mastiffs are ones that have flat faces and if you have one it is possible they have more of a chance of being asthmatic dogs. There is also more of a risk with smaller breeds.  

This is not necessarily to suggest that the middle-aged woman with her hair in pigtails who is attracting attention with a tiny dog in her backpack is going to be shopping for asthma medications for dogs. There are asthma inhalers for dogs too, and they are variations of the same ones used for humans. But your veterinarian will be best for pointing you in the right direction for dog asthma treatment and the good news is that it is an entirely manageable condition.