Q: I’ve got a Boston terrier. Since she has the typical pushed in nose, she sometimes has asthma attacks. They sound just like a human attack if you’ve never heard one. A friend told me what she does for her dog to stop them is to find the soft place directly under the ribs and near the stomach. Rub firmly in a circular motion until the attack subsides. It works for my dog and I use it a lot. Here’s the additional weird part: sometimes I have asthma attacks too and I don’t have a pushed in nose. After the rubbing under the ribs worked so well for the dog, I tried it on myself before I reached for my inhaler. It worked! I was amazed and so was my husband. I have no idea why it works. I showed the vet when my dog got her annual shots and she was amazed, too. You only have to rub the area firmly for maybe ten seconds. I like your column so much and have learned helpful things, such as the soap in the bed that helped my father a lot. Thank you.
A: Well, you’ve certainly taught me something. I have a Border Terrier who gets asthma attacks on occasion and I will certainly put the remedy you provide into practice during her next bout.
Asthma affects more than 34 million Americans. I’m not sure of canine statistics. As with almost every condition, the severity varies from person to person. Some individuals may have minor symptoms that are extremely manageable, yet more severe cases can affect and hamper daily living. Asthma results from inflammation in the airways. The muscles that surround our (and apparently our dogs as well) airways tighten. Simultaneously, the air passages swell, reducing the amount of air that is able to pass through. There are numerous reasons for this to occur in humans, such as having an allergy to peanuts or shellfish, inhaling mold, pollen or tobacco smoke, working with chemicals or being in an unhealthy breathing environment, pet dander, dust, exercise, stress, infection, cold air, and weather changes. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, cough and exercise intolerance. The wheeze can come on suddenly, worsen with exercise or exposure to cold air, and may exacerbate at night or in the early morning hours.
In an attempt to rule out other possible conditions such as a respiratory infection or more seriously, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a primary care physician will likely ask pertinent questions, perform an exam and perhaps even order spirometry testing that can determine if bronchial tubes have narrowed or if another disease/cause is involved. Or, a peak flow meter can measure the strength of a person’s exhalation. There is still other testing such as a CT scan or methacholine inhalation which will trigger a mild attack and possibly provide the answers he or she needs.
Asthma has four categories that are determined by its severity. There is the mild form that may reveal symptoms once or twice a week; a mild persistent form with symptoms more than twice each week but not more than one attack daily; the moderate persistent form with symptoms once each day and more than one night each week; and lastly, the severe persistent category with frequent symptoms on a daily basis.
Treatment is centered around prevention and the use of prescription drugs such as short-acting bronchodilators which may be coupled with inhaled or oral corticosteroids. Prevention includes staying out of trigger areas such as moldy basements or buildings, refraining from smoking (whether it be a personal habit or second-hand inhalation from a household member), keeping home and office surroundings clean and as free as possible from animal dander, using allergy-proof bedding, and covering one’s mouth with a scarf when going out of doors in cold weather. Wall to wall carpet in the home is often extremely difficult to clean adequately, as are heavy draperies, so when possible, use only scatter rugs in sleeping areas and that can be forcefully shaken out of doors to prevent a buildup of dust and frequent laundering of those draperies. . Use unscented laundry detergents and avoid scented fabric softeners and candles and other potential triggers. Keeping a journal is recommended initially which will allow asthmatics which substances have the capability of triggering an attack.
On the home front and, I must add, without reputable studies to confirm their effectiveness, vitamins B6 and 12, ginkgo biloba, salmon capsules or fresh salmon three times each week,and drinking coffee or soft drinks with caffeine might be of assistance. Caffeine is purported to dilate bronchial airways, making it easier for an asthmatic to breathe. Then, thanks to you, other asthmatics can try rubbing the soft, fleshy area under just beneath their rib cage. I must say I would certainly be intrigued by those who are willing to try this remedy and report back to me at www.AskDrGottMD.com. If nothing else, keep barking. It will keep your neighbors on their toes!
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