Respiration

Respiratory movements can be observed at the right flank. Any change in

the rate indicates respiratory involvement. Thoracic respiration is seen in
animals suffering from acute peritonitis and abdominal respiration in
pleurisy. Double expiratory movements are seen in emphysema in horses.
1) Eupnoea : it is normal quiet breathing with normal respiratory rate.
2) Hyperpnoea : Increase in rate of respiration with increased or
decreased depth of respiration is known as Hyperpnoea or Tachypnoea.
3) Oligopnoea : Decrease in rate of respiration is called oligopnoea or
bradypnoea, it is rarely observed in animal
4) Polypnoea : increase in rate of respiration with decreases depth.
Types of Respiration
• Costal respiration: In this type of respiration thoracic muscles are
mainly involved and the movement of the rib cage is more
prominent. It is seen in dogs and cats
• Abdominal respiration: This type of respiration is seen in ruminants
viz cattle, goat, sheep and yak. Here the abdominal muscles are
involved and movement of the abdominal wall is noticed.
• Costo- abdominal respiration: In this type of respiration muscles of
both thorax and abdomen are involved so the movement of the ribs
and the abdominal wall are noticed. This type of respiration is
observed in horses , donkeys, mules .
5) Apnoea : Complete cessation of breathing is known as apnoea.
This is the terminal stage of respiratory failure.
 Rhythm of Respiration
• Respiratory process or ventilation has got three phases .
1) Inspiration –Active process
2) Expiration
3) Pause
Animals like dog and pig may hold the respiration for sometime which
is known as “Sniffing”.
In Equine species, expiration may have two phases known as “ biphasic
expiration ’’.
Dropped( periodic) respiration
1) Biots respiration :
This is characterized by pauses in ordinary respiration. i.e a series of
respiratory movements are followed by long pause.In other words,
Polypnoea punctuated by a period of apnoea. This type of respiration is
observed in case of meningitis, encephalitis , medullary lesions and
poisoning.
2) Syncopic respiration :
In this type of respiration, Pause (apnoea) is immediately taken over by
a deep breathing (hyperpnoea) which successively become shallow till
preceded by apnoea. This is a grave disorder.
3) Kussmauls respiration :
This is known as air hunger. Respiration is forceful and regular but
expiration are unaffected.. This may be accompanied by hissng sound.
This type of respiration is observed in dogs suffering from terminal
stage of renal disease( uraemia), diabetic ketoacidosis.
 Depth of respiraton
• Respiration may be shallow or Deep respiration is observed after
prolonged exercise. very deep breathing is known as labored
breathing. Laboured breathing is manifested as dyspnoea.
• Dyspnoea :
Difficulty in respiration is known as dyspnoea. It may be physiological or
pathological in nature. Physiological dyspnoea occurs after prolonged
exercise or exertion.
It is divided in to inspiratory dyspnoea and expiratory dyspnoea.
• Inspiratory dyspnoea :
Causes are
1) Obstruction of air passages
2) Pulmonary oedema
3) Rupture of diaphragm
4) Pleurisy
5) Pulmonary congestion
• Expiratory Dyspnoea :
Causes :
1) Pulmonary emphysema
2) Pleural adhesions
Clinical signs :
3) Prolonged expiration
4) Appearance of “ heaves line ’’ in the flank region of horse
5) Double expiratory movements
6) Pumping of Anus
Respiration pattern abnormalities
Conditions Features
Thoracic effusion
Pneumothorax Rapid shallow ( Tachypnoea)
Diaphramatic Hernia

Fever
Excitement Rapid deep ( Hyperpnoea)
Acidosis
Tracheal collapse
Tracheal compression Slow deep
Laryngeal paralysis

Respiratory depression
Coma Slow, normal depth ( Bradypnoea)
Increased Intracranial pressure
 Lung Sounds – The Good 
There are 3 normal lung sounds
Vesicular
Bronchial Vesicular
BronchialNormal VESICUCLAR low pitch heard over most of
normal lung

heard over
BRONCRO-
Normal medium pitch  mainstream
VESICULAR
bronchi

BRONCHIAL- normally heard

Normal high pitch
(TRACHEAL) over trachea
Normal Lung Sounds
• 1)Bronchial sounds :
• Consists of full inspiratory and expiratory phase with the inspiratory
phase usually being louder. They are normally heard over the trachea
and larynx.
• Bronchial sounds are not normally heard over the thorax in resting
animals. They may be heard in normal animals that are breathing
hard ( after exercise).
2) Bronchiovesicular sounds :
It conists of full inspiratory phase with a shortened and softer
expiratory phase
3) Vesicular sounds :
It is a quiet, wispy inspiratory phase followed by short , almost silent
expiratory phase. They are heard over the periphery of the lung field .