Why is my dog breathing fast? Is something wrong?
For you to be able to spot abnormal breathing youll need to understand what a healthy respiratory (breathing) rate for your dog is. A typical healthy dog will take between 15 to 35 breaths per minute while at rest. (Naturally, while exercising, your pooch will breathe much more quickly). So, anything above 40 breaths per minute while your dog is at rest is considered abnormal and certainly worth investigating.
That said, its important to understand that panting doesnt always mean that theres a problem. Panting is your pups way of regulating their body temperature, cooling themselves down and allowing water and heat to evaporate from their upper respiratory tract, tongue, and mouth.
Dogs cant sweat to cool themselves down, instead they need to breathe fast to allow air to circulate through their body. Rapid breathing helps your pups body to get back to a normal temperature.
How can I tell if my dog is breathing too fast?
To tell if your dog is breathing abnormally fast, count your dog’s breaths for a minute while they are resting or sleeping. (You may even want to do this when you are not concerned, in order to have a clear understanding of your pets normal respiratory rate). Anything under 30 breaths per minute is considered normal, anything above 35 may be a cause for concern and is worth contacting your vet over. Your vet will have a good understanding of your dogs normal respiratory rate from previous examinations.
What Is a Normal Breathing Rate for a Dog?
To judge what sort of breathing is truly abnormal for a dog, it’s important to know the normal ranges for canine breathing. A respiratory rate from 15 to 35 breaths per minute while at rest is normal, depending on your dog. Monitoring your dog’s breath regularly will help you get a good idea of his or her normal breathing rate.
4 Symptoms That Could Cost Your Dog Its Life
For most of us, our dogs are our best friends and companions. So it’s only natural to pick up on their likes, dislikes, habits, and patterns. While it’s helpful to be familiar with the details of your dog’s daily habits, noticing a lapse in a normal pattern can be scary.
Your dog’s breathing patterns can give you a lot of information, and there are many situations when a dog might breathe faster and harder than normal. But what does it mean if you notice your dog breathing fast while sleeping?