My senior dog is breathing fast and restless. Should I worry?

I'm so sorry to hear that! Please get him in to see a vet. Your vet will probably recommend a chest X-ray to get a better idea of what is going on. In a 9 year old chihuahua some possible causes include heart failure, pneumonia, or cancer. If he seems labored in his breathing, do not delay, please take him to the vet right away.

It is possible that he has an underlying heart condition if his breathing continues for consecutive days in a row at this rate. I would recommend alerting his owners of this abnormal breathing so that they are informed. They may have already witnessed this themselves or may even be aware of a condition he has already. However, you are right to inquire about this, because breathing rates <30 breaths per minute while in a deep sleep are considered abnormal and the #1 cause of this is an underlying heart condition and potentially heart failure. Best of luck with Cody and informing the owners of your concerns for his overall health and well-being.

Hi. It sounds like he is having respiratory signs. This could be from many things such as....upper respiratory infection, cardiac disease, primary respiratory disease, cancers, or other infectious causes. With his age, he needs a full exam, labs, and chest x-rays. If he is in respiratory distress, you will want to go to the ER.

He needs to be examined by a veterinarian right away. Your vet can take an x-ray of his chest to evaluate his lungs and airway. He could have pneumonia, asthma, heart disease, or fluids in his chest. Please call your vet immediately and schedule an appointment.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tracy. I recommend that you seek veterinary care for her right away. Her behavior and elevated breathing rate are very worrisome. I do not think it is something that will pass. If you know of a toxin or poison that was consumed, then yes it is a possibility. If not, then I think that it is something else. Lift her lips to check the color of her gums. If it is white or very pale, she could be bleeding into her belly. While this is rare, it is more common in her breed. I hope this information helps!

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!

This may be due to allergies, infection, laryngeal paralysis or hyperthermia just to name a few causes. In an older dog, heart disease cannot be ruled out. Respiratory distress should be addressed as soon as possible by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER. If it is hot outside or inside, remove Burt to a cooler area. Use a fan and cool cloths to gradually cool him off.