Vet Guide to Cyanosis in Dogs 2025🐶🩺 

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

Cyanosis is a medical emergency where tissues such as gums, tongue, skin, or mucous membranes turn blue-purple due to low oxygen in the blood, a sign of hypoxemia or poor circulation. 🛑 Central cyanosis affects the whole body (lungs, heart), while peripheral cyanosis affects the extremities (cold or poor circulation).

⚠️ Signs to Watch For

• Blue or purple discoloration of gums, tongue, lips — especially in thin-skinned zones.
• Respiratory distress: panting, coughing, wheezing, noisy breathing (stridor).
• Lethargy, collapse, confusion, and fainting.
• Other signs: muffled heart sounds, exercise intolerance, abdominal usage during breathing.

📍 Common Causes

Central (Whole body)

• Respiratory disease: laryngeal paralysis, collapsed trachea, pneumonia, asthma, lung parasites, smoke inhalation, trauma.
• Cardiac disease: heart failure, congenital shunts, heartworm disease.
• Neurological: brain trauma, stroke, brain tumor—can impair breathing.
• Other causes: anemia, poisoning, hypothermia.

Peripheral (Local areas)

• Poor circulation due to cold exposure or vascular blockages.

📌 Note: Some breeds (Chow Chows, Shar‑Peis) have naturally bluish tongues—monitor for a change from their baseline.

🔬 How We Diagnose It

• Physical exam: Assess mucus membranes, breathing patterns, heart, and extremity temperature.
• Pulse oximetry: Measures blood oxygen saturation—often < 85% in central cyanosis.
• Diagnostics: Bloodwork, chest X-rays, echocardiogram, and advanced imaging depending on suspected cause.

🚑 Emergency Treatment

• Oxygen therapy: Begin immediately to raise tissue oxygenation.
• Supportive care: Fluid therapy, warming, airway assistance, thoracocentesis if fluid in chest.
• Address underlying cause: Surgery, bronchodilators, antibiotics, anti‑heart failure drugs, steroids, or cancer therapy, depending on diagnosis.

📈 Prognosis & Home Monitoring

• The outcome depends on how quickly oxygenation is restored and on the underlying cause.
• In-hospital care includes continuous oxygen, monitoring of vitals, and diagnostics.
• At home, owners should check gum color, breathing rate at rest, and activity levels.
• Brachycephalic breeds (e.g., Bulldogs, Pugs) are at higher risk—elective airway surgery may prevent episodes.

✅ Vet Tips by Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

• 🩺 Blue gums or tongue = emergency—seek immediate vet care.
• 📋 Know your dog’s normal gum color for comparison.
• 🧪 Use pulse oximetry early in unstable dogs.
• 🌬 Start oxygen before running diagnostics.
• 📆 Schedule airway corrective surgery for at-risk brachycephalic breeds.
• 🏠 Educate caregivers to monitor at home for recurrence.

If you notice persistent blue gums, tongue, or breathing difficulty, open the AskAVet.com app for urgent assessment.🐾❤️