My puppy is breathing fast but acting normal. Should I go to the vet?

Hi. This could be normal, especially if dreaming. If he is normal otherwise and breaths normal when awake, you can monitor. If he acting quiet and breathing fast awake, I would get him seen right away.

The increased respiratory rate could be from him dissipating heat but it could also be pathological. I cannot tell you for sure just based on your description. I suggest you take a video of him breathing heavy at rest and then take him in to your vet for an examination. Show the vet the video and see what they think. The vet will take that video combined with their examination findings and let you know if it seems like his breathing is normal or abnormal. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I would recommend bringing him in for an exam. Sometimes rapid breathing can be a sign of discomfort or illness. It is possible he may need a few rounds of deworming, or could have an infection and associated fever. Either way, around 8 weeks is when he should be getting his first round of vaccines and an exam, so I would simply talk to your veterinarian at that appointment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I can understand your concerns with having a new puppy. It is likely that your new puppy is finally starting to come into his own. As your puppy grows and matures he will start to develop his personality. This can lead to higher activity levels and more playfullness. As long as he is still tail wagging, running, jumping and overall seems happy, he is likely just fine. After quick spurts of play, puppies can also have heavy breathing episodes, but it should only last for 1-5 minutes at the most. If your puppy seems like he is in respiratory distress, coughing, gasping for air, etc, then its best to have him evaluated by your vet. At that point I would suspect he may have an airway infection, underlying heart disease, or a laryngeal disorder. However, if your pupy is still playful, eating, drinking and normal acting, then he is likely just fine and is having over exerting moments of play. Just try to limit his play to no more than 20-30 minute intervals two times a day to keep him healthy. I hope this helps and best wishes with your new puppy Winter. Take care.

I would recommend to monitor him closely for the next 4-6hours in case signs become more consistent. The presentation you described should not be a problem at all, especially if there are no other signs with it.

Good morning! I see that you posted this last night, and hopefully Theodore is back to normal this morning! Puppies do seem to breathe faster than adult dogs, but if his breathing is abnormal for him (which it seemed to be last night), it is always a good idea to have him checked out by a vet. There are a few conditions that can suddenly affect a pups breathing, such as an allergic condition, or a disease called Non Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema. If he is back to normal this am, no worries. If he is still breathing poorly, I would suggest you take him in the am! Best fo luck with Theodore!

I would recommend that you have Rousey checked out by a vet. Breathing that quickly is not normal. While sleeping, she should breathe less than 20 times in a minute. Increased respiratory rate at night could indicate heart or lung disease, anemia, or pneumonia. If she has fractured ribs, she could benefit from pain medications. She should probably also be checked for intestinal parasites, which are easily picked up while hanging out on the streets.