Canine asthma is reasonably rare, but your Pomeranian can be susceptible. Asthma is an allergic reaction in which the passageways into the lungs fill with mucous and begin to spasm, making it difficult to breath. Just as with human asthma sufferers, a multitude factors can trigger the onset of an asthma attack. Cigarette smoke, dust and stress are all things that can upset your Pomeranian’s condition. Typically, the first sign of an attack is coughing and wheezing. You should act quickly to get your dog relief.
Medications
Once your veterinarian has diagnosed your Pomeranian with asthma, you can discuss medications. Veterinarians typically recommend a combination of antihistamines, bronchodilators and steroids. Antihistamines work to dry up mucous and fluids in the lungs. Steroids will control the inflammation in the lungs; bronchodilators reverse the swelling of the bronchi.
Administration
You can give some of the drugs orally. With others, you may need to use an inhalant. An inhalant drug may be tricky to administer to your dog, so get instruction from your veterinarian. You will need to put a face mask connected to a short tube over your Pomeranian’s nose and mouth. Squeeze a small puff of medication through the tube. The dog will have to inhale the medication five to seven seconds for it to be effective.
A veterinarian may need to treat severe asthma attacks with an injection. An Epinephrine injection will immediately reduce swelling of your dog’s airway passage. If your Pomeranian is prone to severe attacks, your veterinarian will show you how to inject your dog.
Natural Remedies
You can treat non-severe asthma flare-ups with homeopathic remedies. You also can use natural treatment options in conjunction with your dog’s medications. Products such as AmazaPet are a natural herb remedy for wheezing and chest discomfort. It comes in pill form and can be crushed and poured over food, dissolved in water or sprinkled on the tongue.
You can use licorice root and mullein to relieve coughing and soothe irritated respiratory systems.
Remove Triggers
Remove trigger factors from your house. Keep tobacco smoke out. Regularly dust areas where your dog sleeps and plays. Remove your Pomeranian from the house when you spray pesticides or strong household cleaners. Avoid vigorous play when temperatures are high.
References
Photo Credits
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cautious pomeranian image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
Writer Bio
Shannon Morgan is a freelance writer from Missouri who has been writing professionally since 2007. She currently writes web content for Demand Studios and Textbroker. Prior to becoming a full-time freelance writer, she worked as a senior medical review assistant for a major health insurance company. She attended Jefferson College in Missouri.