The dog has difficulty breathing and the rate of respiration is visibility and unusually high with more effort needed by the dog in every breath. The dog may be sitting upright with the neck stretched out and the elbows rotated outwards to help air pass through the airways May also be avoiding lying down and appear to be unable to rest. This is due to insufficient oxygen or too much carbon dioxide in the blood, stimulating excessive respiration. Rapid respiration can also result from fever or pain. Breathlessness can result from anything that affects levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, but is most commonly associated with blockage of the airways, disease or damage to the lung or other structures within the chest cavity, or disease / damage of the heart
