Why is my puppy breathing fast while sleeping?
Finally, the time has come and your →puppy has moved in with you. Along with exploring, playing, and having fun, →lots of sleep is also part of a puppy's life. You notice that your puppy suddenly breathes quickly while sleeping and you wonder if this is dangerous? Here’s the all-clear: In the majority of cases this is completely normal and harmless. Our Pets Deli veterinarian explains what’s behind it.
What breathing rate is normal for puppies?
Puppies breathe at rest about 15-40 times per minute. This means their breathing rate is a bit higher than that of adult dogs, which is around 10-30 breaths per minute. During sleep, the breathing rate can sometimes be significantly higher at about 100 short breaths per minute. Such a high breathing rate occurs when your puppy is dreaming.
When puppies breathe rapidly in their sleep, they are usually dreaming.
Do dogs dream?
Yes, you read that right: Dogs dream too. Maybe your furry friend is dreaming of your first walk in the woods or of our irresistible →Junior Snacks? Our four-legged friends have similar sleep phases to us humans: NON-REM sleep phases and REM sleep phases.
During the NON-REM sleep phases, which make up about half of the total sleep time, the brain can hardly process any perceptions.
During the REM sleep phases, intense dreaming occurs and they are especially important for processing what has been learned and experienced during the day.
The REM sleep phases make up about 10% of sleep in dogs, last about 2 - 3 minutes, and occur several times during sleep. Puppies and young dogs have more REM phases than adult dogs. The little whirlwinds experience so many new things every day that they need more REM phases to process them.
Why does my puppy breathe so fast when dreaming?
The intense dreaming during the REM phases leads to irregular and rapid breathing. Often, dogs twitch their legs as well while sleeping and make vocalizations like soft barking or growling. Both are completely normal and are part of a healthy sleep routine.
As soon as the REM sleep phase is over, your furry friend's breathing returns to normal again. So, observe how long the breathing is this fast and whether it returns to the resting breathing rate of 15-40 breaths per minute.
If your puppy twitches wildly with his legs and makes squeaky noises while sleeping, he's having a wild dream.
How do I count my puppy’s breathing rate?
To see if your puppy’s breathing returns to a normal rate during sleep, you can simply count the breaths:
All you need is a stopwatch. Time for 60 seconds and count the number of breaths during that time. The best way is to watch your puppy’s chest rise and fall, and you’ll know your puppy’s breathing rate. You can also count for just 30 seconds and multiply your result by two.
Can rapid breathing during sleep be dangerous for puppies?
In most cases, the reason for your puppy’s rapid breathing during sleep is a dream and is completely harmless. However, if your young pup’s breathing stays very fast for a long time or your puppy has shortness of breath or other symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, trembling appear, your alarm bells should ring.
Puppies often have a faster breathing rate than adult dogs – no cause for concern!
Rapid breathing due to heart disease
Even our four-legged friends can develop heart disease and congenital heart defects. With congenital heart defects, symptoms usually appear at an early age. Rapid breathing is one of the signs of a heart defect.
Other symptoms may include:
Coughing
Fatigue
Weakness
So if you notice that your puppy is very weak, breathing rapidly, and coughing, you should seek veterinary advice immediately.
Puppy diseases:
The most common diseases in puppies at a glance
Rapid breathing due to poisoning
Every dog owner knows this: you look away for a second, and your pup has already picked something up off the ground. Not only →poison baits can be life-threatening for dogs, but also some →foods that are harmless to us humans. Chocolate, grapes, and garlic are absolutely off-limits for your puppy.
Depending on the poison, poisoning can cause various symptoms such as trembling, drooling, restlessness, cramps. Rapid breathing can also occur as a secondary symptom with many types of poison.
If you notice one or more of these symptoms, you should have your puppy quickly examined by a veterinarian.
Puppies put everything in their mouths, especially what they're not supposed to! That's why you should always keep an eye on your dog, especially outdoors!
Rapid breathing due to respiratory diseases
Respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, rhinitis or →kennel cough can lead to an increased breathing rate. These illnesses are often accompanied by other symptoms and your puppy would breathe rapidly not only while sleeping but all the time.
Rapid breathing due to sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder with breathing pauses. The affected puppies suddenly stop breathing, and after breathing resumes, a few rapid breaths follow.
In principle, any dog and any puppy can suffer from sleep apnea. It is particularly common in short-nosed breeds such as pugs, French bulldogs, or boxers.
In general: If you are unsure, whether your puppy’s rapid breathing is normal, it’s better to call your vet’s office once too often than not enough. In most cases, however, you don’t need to worry and can fully enjoy your waking hours with your puppy. You lay the foundation for a long, happy dog life with →healthy puppy food.
