effects of poor air quality

[Tass]

Anyone else notice any breathing problems when the air quality is considered poor? The past 2 days here in Houston the air quality hasn't been great and I've found I have trouble taking a deep breath (almost like the entire lung isn't expanding fully).

Still haven't gotten a difinitive dx on the SOB yet (feeling winded with minimal activity,etc)...cardio (who is reading an echo report from another clinic) doesn't think it's related to the BAV/Coarc, maybe it's an asthma type thing...Internist doesn't see any traditional asthma signs....and on it goes. I have been walking 3x week so I don't think it's so much of a 'fitness' issue.

I'm going to push for the new Cardio to do her own echo for my piece of mind in Aug (1 year since previous echo).

 

[Ross]

Oh Yeah. I have COPD, Emphysema and pulmonary hemosiderosis and when the air quality sucks, I'm in the house and in A/C. I can't cope with poor air quality.

 

[Bina]

Before my OHS, my breathing problems and SOB kind of crept up on me so that I thought I was just aging or slightly asthmatic.
But after the surgery I was surprised by how much air I could actually take in without any restriction.
Really poor air quality and humidity still bother me somewhat and just aren't healthy anyway.

 

[Tass]

Bina,

Were you wheezy/rattling like traditional asthma? I've always had spells where I felt like I couldn't get a deep breath (and then usually ended up hyperventilating) but the dr's always dismissed it. Kinda like my cold feet-hello Coarc!

This puts a damper on my thinking I could make it through 1 month of agility classes in June with my dog to get ready for a trial in July....

 

[Bina]

No, I didn't feel wheezing/rattling, just increasingly restricted breathing. I was tested for asthma at an allergist
and he confirmed a diagnosis of NO asthma.
Eventually with exercise I began to get dizzy spells and chest tightness....not a good thing.
Listen to your body. Especially doing agillity which can be quite strenuous.

 

[Freddie]

Maybe you can fine someone who can help you to get your dog ready for the trial? Maybe they will even take him/her through the course come July.

Just a thought.

 

[neil]

good sea air i love, but bad air sucks

 

[Tass]

Oh how I wish for a dog that will work for others! Both agility dogs are such velcro dogs that they won't work for anyone else. It's nice to have that kind of bond, but a pain when someone else handling would come in handy. My cardigan could do great things in herding (run with the border collies) if only he would work for the trainer. I reached the point where I could't help him anymore and he needed a more experienced handler to help him figure out his job. This goofy dog would just shut down if someone else asked him to do anything-practically put his paws in his ears and do the dog version of la-la-la-la-I can't hear you.....

 

[AgilityDog]

I have problems running Jet on a course when it's humid. I run out of air! I confess to pulling the "handicapped" card at trials if my JWW and STD runs are back to back, and make arrangements with the gate steward to be ready to put a dog or two in front of me if necessary. We're in Open JWW and Ex A STD right now, and those frequently overlap. I wind up coming out of one ring and being next in line for the second ring. Heck, I thank the stars for those contact obstacles because they give me a chance to get an extra breath, as well as get the flying black monster back under control. JWW is my nemisis with this fast dog.

My dogs won't work well for other people, either.

 

[Tass]

I really don't want to miss the Reliant show because Earnest always does well there ( I think the a/c has something to do with that!) and we just moved up to ExA Preferred. Our next show here before Reliant in July is near Galveston Memorial Day Weekend and it's just too stinking hot for me.

Here's hoping you move up out of Open soon!

Tass