My adopted puppy is lethargic and breathing fast. Is this normal?

While this respiratory rate is higher than the normal resting respiratory rate for a normal dog, some dogs have a higher resting respiratory rate and this May be hers. As long as her activity level is normal, she is eating and drinking and going to the bathroom okay I would just keep an eye on her and continue to monitor this. If it appears that she is in any sort of respiratory distress and she is using her abdominal muscles to breathe more, I would get her seen by a vet immediately. If she hasn't had a health exam since you adopted her I would get her seen by a vet for a routine check-up just to make sure everything is okay. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text consultation.

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.

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.

If there are no other signs and you are not suspecting any intoxication you could monitor him at this stage for the next 2 hours and see if he settles down. If not a check up would be ideal to understand the underlying cause and treat appropriately. Unfortunately at this stage the presentation is quite generic and differentials are many.

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!

Oh dear, poor Totie! Changes in breathing and restlessness are concerning signs, particularly in a relatively young puppy. These signs could indicate congenital heart disease, infectious diseases, pneumonia, among a variety of other conditions. At this point, I recommend urgently taking Totie to her vet for an exam. She may also need to have chest x-rays performed to try to get to the bottom of this issue so that the best course of treatment can be started. I hope that all goes well!

Puppies do breathe a bit faster while asleep than adult dogs. An occasional sneeze or nasal drip is fine. Monitor for lethargy, decreased appetite, difficulty breathing or a yellow or green nasal discharge. See your veterinarian for an exam if any of these symptoms develop.