Is my puppy's rapid breathing normal, and is smoke harmful?

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 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.

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.

Congratulations on your new puppy Freddie! The best time to count the respiratory rate is when they are resting and not stimulated. Normal resting respiratory rate for puppies is roughly 15-30 breathes per minute. When he is stimulated, it will be higher. If you are noticing anything worrisome, make an appointment with the veterinarian for an exam. You can also record a video of him breathing during the times of concern so your doctor can how he looks. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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! 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!