Respiratory Emergencies - The Blue Patient

Respiratory distress most frequently is associated with a condition that is causing hypoxia although these patients may also be hypercarbic. Respiratory distress is a more appropriate term to use in veterinary medicine than dyspnea which is defined as the subjective awareness of altered or uncomfortable respiratory functioning. Patients may be experiencing problems with getting oxygen into the alveoli which can be a result of upper airway obstructive or disruptive abnormalities or chest wall integrity problems such as fractured ribs, sucking chest wounds or a diaphragmatic hernia. It can be caused by difficulties with lung expansion caused by pleural space disease (pneumothorax, pyothorax, chylothorax) or lower airway problems such as pulmonary edema and pneumonia ...