Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Paradoxical breathing linked to pleural disease in dogs and cats
By Le Boedec, Kevin et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2012·Department of Clinical Sciences, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Relationship between paradoxical breathing and pleural diseases in dyspneic dogs and cats: 389 cases (2001-2009).
Plain-English summary
A study found that dogs and cats showing signs of breathing difficulties (dyspnea) often exhibited a pattern called paradoxical breathing, where their abdomen moves in the opposite direction to their chest during breaths. In this group, about 27% of dyspneic dogs and 64% of dyspneic cats had this breathing pattern, which was strongly linked to pleural diseases (conditions affecting the space around the lungs). If your pet is struggling to breathe and showing unusual breathing patterns, it’s important to see a veterinarian quickly, as this could indicate a serious underlying issue.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · cat breathing difficulties · paradoxical breathing in pets · pleural disease in dogs · emergency care for dyspneic pets
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the strength of the relationship between paradoxical breathing (PB) and spontaneous pleural diseases in dyspneic dogs and cats. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: Dogs (n = 195) and cats (194) with a recorded diagnosis of dyspnea examined at the National Veterinary Schools of Alfort and Toulouse (France) between January 2001 and October 2009. PROCEDURES: Dogs and cats were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of PB. Stratified analysis by species was performed. Signalment of affected animals and occurrence of PB were recorded. The relationship between PB and pleural diseases among dyspneic dogs and cats was analyzed. RESULTS: A strong relationship between PB and pleural diseases was highlighted in multivariate analysis (dogs, OR = 12.6 and 95% confidence interval = 4.6 to 31.2; cats, OR = 14.1 and 95% confidence interval = 6.0 to 33.5). Paradoxical breathing prevalence among dyspneic dogs and cats was 27% and 64%, respectively. Occurrence of pleural diseases in dyspneic animals with and without PB was 49% and 9% in dogs and 66% and 13% in cats, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of PB as a predictor of pleural diseases were 0.67 and 0.83 in dyspneic dogs and 0.90 and 0.58 in dyspneic cats, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of PB were 0.49 and 0.91 in dyspneic dogs and 0.66 and 0.87 in dyspneic cats, respectively. Age, sex, feline breeds, and canine morphotypes in patients with PB were not significantly different from those of other dyspneic animals. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PB was strongly associated with pleural diseases in dyspneic dogs and cats. The presence of this clinical sign should prompt small animal practitioners to implement appropriate emergency procedures and guide their diagnostic strategy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22515630/