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I’ve heard that rapid, shallow breathing is a sign of Pleural Effusion. What is this condition?

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I’ve heard that rapid, shallow breathing is a sign of Pleural Effusion. What is this condition?

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Pleural Effusion is the term for a condition in which fluid such as blood or pus accumulates in an animal’s chest cavity, compressing the lungs and heart.

Leah Cohn, Professor of Veterinary Internal Medicine at the University of Missouri, states, “animals with Pleural Effusion have to breathe more rapidly because they can’t expand their lungs. So they take short, shallow, rapid breaths.”

She says Pleural Effusion has many potential causes, such as infection and congestive heart failure, so treatment will vary.

But if a pet is struggling to breathe, most veterinarians will start by removing the fluid with a needle and syringe. It’s a process that may need to be repeated until the underlying cause of the fluid buildup can be cured.

- Dr. Andrea Looney, DVM for the “Purina® Animal Instincts” Podcast Series

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