Is my rescue puppy's fast, heavy breathing during sleep normal?

Fast breathing, twitching, and vocalizing are all normally seen when they are sleeping and is not a concern as long as they don't do it when they are awake. If he is otherwise OK when he is awake, then no need to worry about this. He appears to be a well-cared for pup. I recommend taking him to a vet for an exam as soon as you can. The vet can scan him for a microchip (in case he's owned) and make sure he's up-to-date on vaccines and deworming. I hope that helps and all is well with Rock.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is normal for puppies to have a fast respiration rate, even at rest. As long as her gums are nice and pink and she’s not struggling to breathe she should be fine. Kisses to Iana!

Hello. If his lungs sound normal when he is awake, then you might be hearing the equivalent of a snore. Try to obtain a sleeping respiratory rate. Count the number of breaths he takes per minute. Normal is 30 breaths per minute or less, so unless he is having a puppy dream ( which may temporarily increase the respiratory rate ), I would not be too worried. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

52 breaths per minute is considered tachypneic and points to some breathing problem such as an upper respiratory or pulmonary congestion or a heart condition. The fact that this is even worse when she is resting is also pointing to a possible heart condition. I suggest you schedule an exam with your veterinarian for an exam.

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.

If Korra is completely asleep and not dreaming, then 96 breaths per minute is very abnormal, and I would recommend that she be seen by a vet immediately. Possible causes for lethargy and increased breathing in a puppy include pneumonia, infection, anemia, intestinal parasites, among a few other causes. After examination, the vet may recommend bloodwork and/or x-rays to see what could be going on. It can be very hard to guess what breed a puppy is since they don't yet have the adult characteristics. If I had to guess I would think some shepherding breed, like Australian Shepherd or Border Collie.

If River is normal when she wakes up and acts normally during the day (eating, drinking, playing, no vomiting, no diarrhea, etc) then I would not worry about it. If she seems sick in any way then I would get her to the vet for an exam. I suggest you take a video of this behavior so you can show your vet when you take River in for her next set of vaccinations so they can give you better advice. Hope this helps. Best wishes.