The Strange Louisiana Tale of the Cajun Asthma Dog

LOUISIANA - The "asthma dog" is one of the more unusual pieces of Cajun and Creole folk belief that has been passed down in parts of Acadiana and South Louisiana for generations.

The Cajun "asthma dog", almost always a chihuahua, is said to be able to take away asthma, breathing problems, or chronic wheezing from a child suffering from these ailments.

Is there any possible way there could be any truth to this lore, and if not, why did it ever become a thing?

How The Folklore Works

There isn't one single version of the "asthma dog" belief, but common folklore includes a newborn or very young puppy, usually a chihuahua, being brought into a home where a child has diagnosed with asthma. The child and puppy would then be raised together, with some families believing the puppy would eventually develop breathing problems as it took on the child's illness.

READ MORE: The Old Cajun Tradition of ‘Pulling Fever’ With a Glass of Water

If the dog became sick, it was viewed as evidence that the asthma had been transferred away from the child.

Why Did People Believe It?

Like many Louisiana folk remedies, the asthma dog tradition probably developed when medical care was limited and families relied on a combination of:

Home remedies
Traditional healing practices
Catholic beliefs
French folk traditions brought from Europe
Native American and African influences that blended into Louisiana culture

From latimes.com -

There’s no scientific evidence that a Chihuahua can ease human asthma. Snopes.com speculated that the rumor may be perpetuated by the fact that some Chihuahuas make noisy breathing and coughing sounds.

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Many people growing up in Cajun and Creole households across Acadiana often recall hearing parents or grandparents tell stories about a cousin, neighbor, or family member who supposedly benefited from an asthma dog.

READ MORE: Louisiana’s Most Popular Cajun Last Names

What Does Modern Medicine Say?

There is no scientific evidence that a dog can absorb or cure asthma.

In fact, some people with asthma are actually triggered by pet dander and can experience worse symptoms around dogs or other animals. Some research does support that children who grow up around pets and farm animals sometimes develop different immune responses than children who don't, though that is very different from the folklore claim that a dog can take away asthma.

Have you ever heard of an asthma dog?