Choose a home oxygen concentrator based on the prescribed oxygen therapy, including the required flow rate, oxygen concentration, and daily duration of use. Noise level, safety alarms, ease of operation, and applicable regulatory requirements should also be considered.

Patients with COPD, chronic hypoxemia, pulmonary fibrosis, or other conditions requiring supplemental oxygen may have different oxygen-flow and treatment-duration requirements. The concentrator should therefore be selected to match the oxygen therapy prescribed by a healthcare professional.

Choose a veterinary oxygen concentrator according to the treatment setting and the oxygen requirements of the equipment it will support.

For home pet oxygen therapy, consider ease of operation, noise level, appropriate oxygen flow, portability, and compatibility with oxygen cages, masks, and other oxygen-delivery accessories.

Veterinary hospitals may require oxygen not only for direct oxygen therapy but also for ICU or oxygen cages, anesthesia machines, and ventilators. In these settings, consider continuous-flow capacity, oxygen concentration, outlet pressure, simultaneous oxygen demand, alarm functions, and backup oxygen supply. Since anesthesia machines and ventilators may have specific pressure and flow requirements, always confirm compatibility before connecting the concentrator.

Choose the system according to the intended training method and goal:

• Hypoxic Generator : Produces oxygen-reduced air to simulate high-altitude conditions. It is mainly used for altitude acclimatization and hypoxic endurance training. Reported performance benefits are more consistent for altitude-related performance than for performance at sea level.
• EWOT (Exercise with Oxygen Therapy) : Provides oxygen-enriched air during exercise to increase oxygen availability and support higher exercise workloads or improved exercise tolerance.
• IHHT (Intermittent Hypoxic-Hyperoxic Training) : Alternates between controlled hypoxic and hyperoxic breathing phases, typically at rest or during controlled exercise, combining a hypoxic stimulus with hyperoxic recovery.

In practical terms, a hypoxic generator lowers inspired oxygen concentration (FiO₂), EWOT increases FiO₂ during exercise, while IHHT can alternate among hypoxic, normoxic, and hyperoxic phases according to the selected protocol.

When comparing equipment, consider the available FiO₂ range, flow capacity, control accuracy, SpO₂ and heart-rate monitoring, automatic mode switching, data tracking, and the intended training application.