Oxygen concentrators are life-saving medical devices, and there are different types and models available in the market. Yet each varies in settings & functionalities, and not all are suitable for pets. When pets suffer from cardiovascular or pulmonary illnesses, the amount of oxygen their lungs get declines, limiting the amount of oxygen to the rest of the body. When choosing an oxygen concentrator, in order to ensure the pet receives adequate supplemental oxygen, considering its flow rate capabilities and oxygen concentration is extremely important.
Flow rate is the rate at which oxygen is being delivered to the animal. It is measured in litre per minute (LPM). The ideal flow rate for an animal is typically advised by a veterinarian, one that is appropriate for the pet’s condition; yet not all oxygen concentrators provide the same range of flow rates. Portable oxygen concentrators often have lower flow rates (0.5 to 2 LPM) while home-use oxygen concentrators generally offer higher flow rates (0.5 to 5 LPM or even higher). Those with high flow rate settings are generally suitable for small animals of different breeds and sizes such as cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters; and they offer the flexibility for pet owners to adjust the flow rate should the condition of the animal changes. In addition to oxygen flow rate, the owner must also pay attention to the oxygen concentration at the same time.
The oxygen concentration level coming from a concentrator is extremely important and should be functioning within a particular range. While high powered home-use concentrators offer high concentration at over 90% regardless of flow rate; some concentrators could only offer high concentration when the flow rate is low. For example, at 2 LPM flow rate, the device delivers 90% of purified oxygen. But when the flow rate is raised to 5 LPM, the oxygen concentration drastically drops to 35%. This poses a serious medical concern for pets whose condition requires high oxygen intake. In this scenario, you cannot rely on such device to deliver the amount of purified oxygen required by your pet.
Most home-use oxygen concentrators deliver continuous flow of oxygen without interruption and only stop when the power is turned off. These continuous flow concentrators will deliver oxygen regardless of the users breathing patterns. Pulse dose oxygen concentrators, on the other hand, are engineered to dispense oxygen only when the concentrator detects inhalation. They are light and portable, suitable for human patients during outdoor activities. But they are not recommended for pets, as pulse dose cannot produce enough oxygen to fill up an oxygen cage or oxygen mask.
ST Pet Oxygen provides oxygen equipment rental for pets to have oxygen therapy in the comfort of their own home. To know more about our service, check out our website stpetoxygen.com ; and if you need further assistance, please contact us.