Do Puppies Breath Faster Adults?
Do puppies breathe faster than their adult counterpart? This is because puppies have a higher metabolic rate. This means their bodies are constantly working. As a result, puppies use more oxygen for every pound of body weight than humans. For this reason, they will breathe heavier than humans.
How To Determine Your Puppies Respiratory Rate Per Minute
- Put your hand on their chest
- Place timer for 30 seconds
- Count breaths
- Multiply the number by 2
How To Stop A Puppy Who Is Breathing Too Fast
Do Puppies Breath Fast? Yes. Below you will see that puppies do indeed breathe faster than adults. However, fast breathing can also be due to the environment, and medical reasons.
Anxiety Based
- Crate Training
- Prescription Anxiety Medicine
- Thunder Jackets
- Behavior Training
- Impulse Games
- Wait 3 Weeks Rule
- Canine Massage
Temperature Based
- Cool Pads
- Frozen Treats (Pumpkin, Ice, Banana, Peanut Butter)
- Move To Air-conditioning
- Buy Crate Fan
Medical-Based
- Book Appointment With Vet
- Antibiotics, X-Rays
- Canine Massage For Short Nosed Dogs
How To Prevent Heavy Breathing
If you are asking ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’ you most likely want to stop it. Here are some tips to help prevent unnecessary rapid breathing.
- Supervised chewing
- Frequent play breaks
- Monthly heart medicine
- Elimination diet
- Canine massage
- Feeding at specific times
- Slow feeders
- Vaccination
- Anxiety Behavior Training
- Early Socialization
Puppies Just Breath Faster Than Adults
In general, newborns breath faster than adults regardless of species. In addition, dogs have a higher body temperature than humans. But they share a similar ‘danger zone’ for fevers. So, there is less wiggle room for dogs than humans when overheating.
Average Temperature
- Adult dogs 101 to 102.5 Fahrenheit
- Human adults 97-99 Fahrenheit
- Babies 97-100.3 Fahrenheit
- Puppies 99.5-102.5 Fahrenheit
Breathing Patterns In Dogs
Asking ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’ assumes that you are comparing your puppy to something. Below is a list of different types of breathing patterns in dogs.
When dogs are calm, they breathe through their nose.
When dogs are exercising, they will pant to cool off. Panting is an instinct for them.
When dogs are experiencing anxiety, they will breathe with an open mouth. They may even muzzle punch. This behavior is when they take their nose and jam it into your face. It is considered a form of defensive aggression. In addition, they will pace back and forth and be unable to sit down.
When dogs are experiencing respiratory distress, they may make loud gasping noises. The dog will breathe with an open mouth, and its chest and belly may rise and fall rapidly. A puppy gasping for air takes quick, shallow breaths either at or just below the ribcage. The mouth might hang open in severe cases, and the tongue will stick out from between the teeth. A gasping dog is not getting the oxygen they need, and you need to take them to the vet.
A puppy with rapid breathing is still getting the oxygen he needs. But his breaths are coming much faster than usual. A pup experiencing rapid breathing, you will see a high chest and belly moving very rapidly.
A dog with a raspy breath is breathing through an obstructed airway. The sound suggests there is a buildup of some sort in the throat, and it’s causing your puppy distress.
Snoring can signify an upper respiratory infection. In addition, snoring can cause other illnesses such as canine influenza. Or it can just signify they are in a strange position.
A puppy’s windpipe is tiny compared to that of an adult dog. When puppies grow up, their larynx (voice box) grows down and curves into the trachea (windpipe). However, this cartilage is very delicate for the first few months of life. It can be injured if your pup pulls on their collar too hard or gets his head stuck in something. If the windpipe swells up, it may shift the larynx so that it partially blocks airflow through the trachea. Usually, this will cause some very loud snorting.
When dogs are experiencing pain, they may whimper or yelp. Some will even make gagging sounds, which means they have trouble breathing.
Wheezing occurs when there is a blockage. The whistling sound happens as your dog breathes. Wheezing can be from asthma, allergies, or respiratory disease.
Sneezing can signify an upper respiratory infection. If this is paired with fast breathing in puppies, seek veterinarian help.
Discharge With Breathing
To answer ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’ you need to look for other signs of distress. Read below to see if you notice any other issues with your dogs breathing pattern.
Puppies might also experience clear nasal discharge, known as serous fluid. The tissue lining their respiratory system produces fluid and protects against infection. So, if a dog’s nose is wet and your puppy has green, yellow, or clear mucus, it could be a sign of an infection or illness.
The fluid that’s coughed up when your pup has pneumonia will look like yellowish-green phlegm. This phlegm can also be mucus (clear, yellowish, or greenish fluid) that comes up when your dog is sick.
When blood appears in your pup’s nasal discharge, it can indicate problems like viral infection, parasites, or kennel cough. Blood might also occur if there is trauma to the nose or breakage of tiny capillaries.
Suppose a dog’s tongue turns pale or a dark color. In that case, your puppy is not getting enough oxygen and needs immediate veterinary care
When dogs struggle to breathe, they will make a sound like “snoring” or “wet bubbles.” If you hear this sound when your pup inhales, he may be having difficulty getting air.
If your pup’s mouth is open and his tongue is out, he might be panting. However, if you see a dog with a wide-open mouth but his tongue isn’t hanging out or moving, it could mean that he’s trying to get more oxygen into his body.
If a pup experiences pain, he may arch his neck and stretch out the front of his body. The stretching occurs because it opens the airways.
A dog’s regular resting pulse should be between 60 and 140 beats per minute. If your puppy has difficulty breathing, the pulse will accelerate to more than 160 beats per minute to compensate for it.
Why Do Puppies Breath Fast?
10 Most Common Reasons
To understand ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’ you need to understand the situations that make dogs breathe fast. The top ten reasons cover the majority of pet parents concerns when asking ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’.
When dreaming, a dog’s eyes move rapidly. This behavior is called REM sleep. During their dreams, dogs can experience rapid breathing as well. Rapid breathing occurs because they move their legs and run during their dreams. Eyes roll back and forth underneath their eyelids. Your dog may whine or whimper.
An overexcited dog’s nervous system is pumping the brain with neurons. Overexcited behavior is paired with refusing to take treats or drink water.
A dog who has recently finished playing or running will breathe faster than a dog at rest. Rapid breathing is because the dog is trying to catch its breath. Exercise can cause heavy panting and fast breathing after exercise.
If a dog is anxious, it may breathe very fast as a coping mechanism. Unfortunately, this can lead the dog to hyperventilate and pass out.
Separation anxiety results in a dog not wanting to leave its owner’s side. When you leave the dog, they will begin pacing, refusing to eat and breathe heavily.
Heatstroke will cause the body to heat up faster than if it was “cool.” Overheating can result in panting, agitation, excessive thirst, or hunger.
If a dog has exercise-induced asthma, its airways will close off after strenuous activity. As a result, your dog will begin to salivate, breathe rapidly, and have coughing fits.
If a dog’s airways are restricted, it will have trouble breathing. Restriction can be due to choking or swelling of the throat. However, the most common issue is leash tugging
A puppy may eat a sock, toy, sticks, or anything else that can block its airways, leading to breathing faster.
If a dog is on certain medications, it can cause the heart to beat fast. This is because medicine interferes with normal breathing. This causes them to take quick breaths when resting.
5 Unusual Reasons Why Puppies Breathe Fast
This list below is the second most common reasons pet parents ask ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’.
Smoke can also cause breathing problems and will make the dog breathe fast. Symptoms include blood in the saliva, coughing, and inflammation in the airways.
Pain, no matter what breed or age, can cause the dog to breathe abnormally fast. This can include injuries, arthritis, and dental problems.
A poor diet can irritate the stomach and intestinal tract. This leads to fast breathing. This could also include those dogs who have food intolerances.
A puppy who overeats may have a reaction where they cannot breathe correctly. Their stomach might be pushing against the lungs.
If a dog is sleeping on their back or side, they may breathe faster than normal. This is because the airways are compressed due to the positioning of their bodies. If a dog sleeps face down, this can cause heavy breathing as well which is from how they lay face first on the ground.
10 Lung Issues That Cause Puppies To Breathe Fast
While uncommon the following sections explain medical reasons to the question ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’. If you think its a medical reason, take your dog to the vet as soon as possible.
This lung issue is when the puppies develop pneumonia. Viruses break down the alveoli. These tiny sacs in the lungs let oxygen enter capillaries when inhaling. Unfortunately, the breakage will cause small clots to form. These clots block airflow, making it harder for the puppy to breathe normally. Unfortunately, viruses can also send these clots to the brain, causing deadly strokes.
When the pressure in the blood vessels is too high, it causes damage to the lungs. This makes breathing difficult. Suppose this happens for an extended period. In that case, lung tissue can weaken and lead to a collapsed lung. The fluid then can build up in the chest cavity, which prevents inhalation. This disease is what causes the dog to breathe fast when lying down.
Influenza is a common respiratory disease. It causes coughing, fever, lethargy, and fatigue. This virus affects the lung the most because of the large capillaries leading to them.
The lungs are immature and full of fluid with newborns. The fluid usually clears within a few hours of life but can take longer. Dogs with underdeveloped lungs will need to be taken care of by a vet until the lungs are developed.
Compressed lungs can happen if the puppy is stuck and unable to move. Swelling could lead to death if not treated immediately by a vet.
PDA is an abnormal opening that causes extra blood flow to the lungs. It typically closes by itself within a few days, but if it remains open, it can render fast breathing.
Food or liquid, also known as Aspiration Pneumonitis, can enter the lungs. It can lead to pneumonia when this occurs, leading to breathing problems.
The immune system attacks the airways, leading to inflammation and swelling. This disease will cause them to breathe abnormally fast.
If a dog choked on an object, its throat would become swollen. As a result, they may breathe abnormally afterward.
Dry drowning is when water doesn’t leave the lungs but just sits there. Dry drowning can occur hours after swimming. It results in breathing fast, dizziness, and lethargy. For example, a drowned dog will breathe fast because it cannot close off its nose due to water filling it up.
4 Heart Issues That Cause Puppies To Breathe Fast
Aortic valve disease is when the heart cannot pump blood adequately through the body. This disease causes pressure in the circulatory system. It can lead to panting, coughing, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
Vasculitis is when small clots formed in blood vessels restrict the body’s arteries. This disease will cause the dogs to breathe very rapidly.
The heart pumps blood to the lungs, allowing oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. If the heart isn’t doing its job, the lungs sometimes must compensate by breathing faster. Most heart diseases in puppies are present from birth. But, developing heart disease is rare at such a young age.
Congenital heart malformations are narrow vessels, holes in the heart, or leaky valves. In addition, puppies with heart disease have soft coughs and are very sluggish. Usually, these issues have no effects until later in life.
8 Infections That Cause Rapid Breathing.
Several problems may occur if dogs have heartworms. Breathing difficulty is one problem because the worms affect the dog’s lungs. In addition, dogs with heartworms will often breathe fast due to stress or increased inactivity.
A tick latched onto a dog’s tongue, or face can affect its muscles. It may even affect the diaphragm, which causes breathing issues. In addition, ticks feed on the blood supply, cutting off oxygen to the brain.
Puppies are vaccinated against kennel cough between 6-8 weeks. They are fully vaccinated between 10-12 weeks. It can cause wheezing and coughing that worsen when the dog breathes in.
Dogs that encounter contaminated water can get leptospirosis. Fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and kidney failure are common symptoms of this disease. In addition, leptospirosis can lead to pneumonia. This causes breathing difficulties and the inability to stand.
Lungworm is larvae living in the respiratory tract of dogs. Symptoms include labored breathing, coughing, and green mucus. These symptoms are in puppies. They do not have developed immune systems to fight off the infection.
The parainfluenza virus causes similar symptoms but is not as severe as influenza. Unfortunately, there are no treatments for this virus. But it rarely leads to severe conditions. Since this is a lung disease, it causes difficult or rapid breathing.
All types of bacteria can cause the puppy to have a respiratory infection. Symptoms are coughing, runny nose, runny eyes, and fever. In addition, they will typically have a high temperature for several days. The fever will cause them to breathe abnormally fast.
Fungus can also cause breathing problems. These infections include nasal aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and coccidioidomycosis. Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, and fever.
3 Neurological Issues That Make Dogs Breathe Fast
Tremors are when a dog has involuntary muscle movements. These are fast rhythmic and will happen on both body sides. Tremors are not abnormal unless it disrupts their ability to walk or eat. Seizures may also occur with tremors due to how common they are.
Seizures are typically seen in older dogs but can happen to any dog at any age. The dog may become limp during an episode and cannot control its body movements. They may also lose control of their bladder while having a seizure. In addition, seizures will cause them to breathe fast while seizing. Heavy breathing occurs because blood pressure increases rapidly.
Dogs who have been diagnosed with spinal issues will often breathe abnormally. Common symptoms include difficulty walking, muscle spasms, and trouble controlling bowel movements.
2 Diseases For Heavy Breathing In Puppies
Dogs will experience pica when they eat things that are not food. Pica causes chewing on non-food items or abnormal eating habits. It can also cause vomiting and lightheadedness if ingested objects become lodged in the digestive tract.
Dogs with Cushing’s disease have high cortisol levels in their body. This disease can lead to high blood pressure, high heart rate, and rapid breathing.
2 Deformities That Cause Heavy Breathing In Puppies
The nostrils are abnormally narrow, making it difficult to get enough air into their lungs. Narrow nostrils will lead to panting or respiratory distress.
Brachycephalic dogs are short-nosed dogs that have difficulty breathing and cooling down. They have difficulty breathing because oxygen flows slower than breathing through their mouth. As a result, such dogs like French Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers, etc., will breathe faster. As a result, these breeds will have a harder time being active in the heat than other breeds.
17 Conditions That Cause Dogs To Breathe Fast
Not enough blood fluid in the body t transport oxygen. These dogs are dehydrated due to vomiting and diarrhea. It can also occur due to excessive bleeding.
Puppies can have a swollen belly due to fluid and air buildup. Also, if the puppy becomes dehydrated, less blood will flow through the body. Less blood flowing through the body results in decreased oxygen levels. Both reasons will cause the puppy to breathe fast. A dog’s abdomen (belly) can become swollen or enlarged for several reasons, including internal problems or parasites such as worms.
When puppies eat “people food,” they can develop gas in their stomachs. Gas makes the puppy uncomfortable and wants to pass the gas more often. This pressure causes them to breathe fast.
When puppies have asthma, they cannot fully take in air. As a result, asthma results in them breathing abnormally. Often the dog will also wheeze when exhaling.
This condition is when dogs have a constant cough due to an allergic reaction. If not treated, it can lead to bronchopneumonia if their airways become inflamed and blocked. Dogs who already have heart or lung disease usually see this inflammation.
Hypoglycemia is when insulin cannot break down glucose in the blood. High glucose levels cause low oxygen levels. Puppies who do not take their insulin or skip a meal can see this condition.
Both hyper- and hypothyroidism can result in fast breathing in dogs. In addition, it is common for brachycephalic breeds (dogs with short noses and flat faces) to have respiratory problems.
Hernias are where the body part protrudes through the opening of the body cavity. These can result in breathing problems due to compression or tumors.
Red blood cells themselves (the cells that carry oxygen) can be low (anemia) or damaged. There are many causes of red blood cell dysfunction, including chronic disease, parasites, autoimmune diseases, carbon monoxide, or onion poisoning. Puppies with these issues are often pale, cold, and have blue gums. All the above are emergencies that need to be seen by a vet ASAP.
Vomiting can lead to dehydration, decreasing the blood supply, resulting in reduced oxygen levels. In addition, vomiting will cause them to breathe fast.
When there is pain or discomfort associated with gas or bloating, the puppy wants to pass gas more frequently—this discomfort results in faster breathing. Likewise, if diarrhea occurs, it can cause dehydration, decrease blood supply, and reduce oxygen levels. Again, reduced oxygen levels will make them breathe fast.
A collapsed windpipe is more common in brachiocephalic breeds (dogs with short noses and flat faces) as their narrow airways. When the puppy breathes in, the airway collapses, which results in fast breathing.
In this case, the airways are even smaller, resulting in reduced oxygen levels. Reduced oxygen will cause them to breathe faster.
If a dog has an allergic reaction, its tongue may swell up. The swelling will make it harder to breathe through the mouth.
If a dog has sepsis, its immune system is likely compromised. Sepsis can lead to breathing fast and other symptoms such as fever, irritability, and lethargy.
If a dog has bloat/GDV, it will often breathe abnormally. Other symptoms include drooling, intense abdominal pain, vomiting, and an enlarged abdomen.
A dog with cancer may have difficulty breathing because of its tumors pressing against the lungs. They may also experience coughing fits due to lung damage from chemotherapy.
Everyday Situations Where Rapid Breathing Is Normal
Most of the time the question ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’ is due to the environment. Some how the environment is stimulation. This could be over excitement or anxiety.
- After Exercise
- Crate
- Car
- New Place (Vacation, Family Members House)
- Holiday With Fireworks
- Meeting A New Dog
- Meeting New People
- Overwhelming Amount Of People
- Loud Sounds (TV, Radio, Car Alarm)
When Should I Contact A Vet?
Lastly, if you see any of the symptoms below. Contact your vet immediatly. However, the most common reason for ‘Do Puppies Breath Fast’ is 1) they are a puppy, 2) They are overexcited, 3) they are hot or 4) they are anxious. 5) they are dreaming.
