15yr old Yorker - rasping for air and shaking

My 15 yr old yorkie really isn’t herself tonight. Rasping for breath and clearly distressed. Trying to calm her but observing breathing and really sucking in on lower abdomen. Contemplating taking her to out of hours vet now.  Really out of character for her to be acting this way. Can anyone advise?

Hello!  I realise that this was posted some hours ago, but this sounds as if it could have been an emergency and hopefully you followed your instinct to call the emergency vet, or have managed to see a vet since.  If ever breathing appears comprised, this is definitely the logical step forward and please never feel shy about asking for emergency help; dyspnoea (struggling to breathe) can be alarming and often suggests that Oxygen is needed.  Possible findings may include pulmonary disease, heart disease, tumours or even a breach of the diaphragm, none of which is ideal especially at such an impressive age.  I hope that the outcome is or was as positive for your old canine lady as could have been expected and am thinking of you both.