My cow's breathing is heavy and loud. Should I call the vet?

Heavy breathing can be a sign of several things including problems with the heart and lungs. Kidney and liver issues can also sometimes lead to heavy breathing in cows. If she's kept indoors in a barn, irritation from bedding or cramped quarters can also cause respiratory disease. Since this has been ongoing for a while, and doesn't seem to be improving, i'd call out a local vet to have her examined.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Yes, I would be a bit worried. She may have some retained placenta or a uterine tear from the dystocia. If either of those are the case, she could end up with a life-threatening bacterial infection. I suggest you get your vet out there to check her out. It is better to be safe than sorry in this instance. Best wishes.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So sorry that Gip is having this issue. It does sound like he needs some diagnostic testing in order to help him. If the penicillin is not working then he likely needs a more aggressive antibiotic. The best way to know what type of antibiotic will work would be to do something like a transtracheal wash to collect some of the fluid/mucus in his lungs and then culture that fluid to find out what type of bacteria is growing there. Otherwise it is just guessing and treating him with random antibiotics (not the best plan). Some x-rays may be needed to see the extent of the pneumonia (I am guessing this is his issue). My recommendation would be to get him to the nearest vet that will treat pigs. There is nothing I can tell you to get over the counter that will help him at this point. I'm sorry you are dealing with this but getting him to a vet is going to be the best chance at saving him. Not everything can be treated at home unfortunately. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. With these symptoms I am very worried about what could be going on with Miss Piggy. If she was exhibiting respiratory problems last night and then fell over, she could have passed out due to lack of oxygen / blood to the brain. I would be worried about primary heart disease / failure and respiratory disease that has lead to these symptoms. Seeing that Miss Piggy is older in the photos, heart disease and respiratory disease are definitely my top suspicions. I would strongly recommend that you get her seen by an emergency veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would have her blood tested and have x-rays taken of her chest to see what is going on. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do in the meantime for her if this is her heart or respiratory disease. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Rapid breathing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good day!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Lacey Mae's breathing appears labored or she is breathing quickly (faster than 40 breaths a minutes) or panting heavily, and you feel Lacey is in distress, I would recommend having her seen right away. Underlying cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary conditions can cause and contribute to labored breathing and respiratory distress which would require an emergency veterinary visit. You can also request a consult with me and I will be happy to review the video and advise further. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!