Lesley King, MVB, DACVECC, DACVIM

Initial triage evaluation of the post-trauma patient should include a careful evaluation of respiratory function.

Oxygen delivery to the tissues must be prioritized in any critical patient.

Respiratory dysfunction commonly occurs as a sequela of critical illness in dogs and cats.

Puppies are often physiologically stressed by changes in ownership and new environments.

Feline asthma arises from a heterogeneous and poorly characterized group of conditions of the bronchi.

Dogs and cats with partial or complete upper airway obstruction can present with varying degrees of dyspnea.

Coughing is a common presentation in small animal practice, which can be caused by either heart or respiratory tract disease.

Antibiotic therapy is obviously one of the most important modes by which bacterial infections are treated, and the lungs are no exception.

In most patients with pneumonia, antibiotic therapy should be considered part of an overall management scheme, rather than the only treatment.

Dyspneic cats are frequently presented to clinicians as emergencies. Because they are fragile and very easily stressed, it is a good idea to have a planned, rational and quickly implementable strategy for their management.

Puppies are predisposed to acute infectious tracheobronchitis, which can progress to pneumonia, because they are often physiologically stressed by changes in ownership and new environments.

Respiratory changes occur frequently in small animal patients. It is important to recognize, however, that not all changes in respiration are caused by disease of the respiratory system.

Initial triage evaluation of the post-trauma patient should include a careful evaluation of respiratory function.

Transtracheal aspiration allows samples to be obtained from the airways for cytologic and microbiologic evaluation.

Ventilation is the ability of the chest wall and diaphragm to move an adequate volume of air into the chest.

Dogs and cats with partial or complete upper airway obstruction can present with varying degrees of dyspnea.

Upper airway obstruction is a rare syndrome in cats, but can be very severe and can cause life-threatening clinical signs.