My puppy's belly is bloated and breathing fast. Could it be worms?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It isn't unusual for puppies this young to have a big belly after eating. I would make the meals smaller and feed him more frequently. You are also correct that he likely has intestinal parasites, deworming him will help but it will take time. If his stomach enlarges enough it can put pressure on the diaphragm and change breathing patterns. That's why I would feed small meals frequently for a while. Otherwise puppies do breath faster than adults, especially when sleeping. Since he is otherwise doing well I would just watch him closely and follow your vet's vaccination and deworming schedule. Good luck!

8 weeks is the time for a first puppy exam and having the first course of puppy vaccinations. Looking a bit bloated is a possible sign or intestinal parasites (all puppies have them) and therefore it is also time to worm your puppy. When you take him to your vet for first shots, he will worm the puppy as well.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mama! She is super cute! I would take Mama to an Emergency hospital and have her looked at as soon as you can. Anytime there is concern for breathing it could be life threatening, especially if she is also weak. Puppies can suffer from low blood sugar which can make them weak. The fast breathing could be from a fever, pneumonia, or pain. The distended belly may or may not be related. She could just have worms. The best thing for Mama is to have a Vet do an exam. I hope this helps and I wish Mama a speedy recovery!

Puppies breathe faster than adult dogs, up to 38 breaths /minute. You should get some wormer and worm your puppy. Round worms and other worms can cause puppies to get somewhat anemic, so their breathing rate can go up. Also pain (tummy ache from the worms) can cause an increased rate.

I suspect that Lucky may have intestinal worms. Those cause diarrhea in puppies and a bloated stomach. I'd have him seen by a vet for this, and bring along a sample of his poop for the vet to check for worms. If the vet finds worms, they can treat him for it. And yes, it can be ok for him to pant hard when he sleeping, especially if he's hot. I hope this helps!

If her breathing is normal and gums are normal pink, then there is a good chance this is just a worm overload. Sometimes it takes 2 treatments done 2 weeks apart to get rid of worms in young puppies. Ascites would almost always cause a pet to be lethargic and act ill. As long as her energy is good and everything else is fine, it is ok to monitor her for now and have your vet check her for parasites when they get back out of town. If she seems ill at any point, then its best to take her to another local vet for a check up. Best of luck with your young puppy Lady Jane moving forward. Take care. : )

This presentation is very likely due to worms, which are causing the bloat. With appropriate medications the worms will die (you will find them in the feces dead or still alive) and the bloat will progressively disappear. Mild constipation will resolve as well when parasite infestation resolves.