How to Monitor Your Pet’s Breathing Rate at Home
Monitoring your pet’s breathing, or resting respiratory rate, is one of the most helpful ways to detect early signs of congestive heart failure (CHF) at home, especially for pets diagnosed with heart disease. Tracking these changes can help your veterinarian and veterinary cardiologist better assess your pet’s condition.
🐾 What is the Sleeping Respiratory Rate?
Sleeping Respiratory Rate (SRR) is the number of breaths your pet takes per minute while asleep or completely relaxed; not after activity, play, or excitement. Monitoring SRR at home can help detect early signs of congestive heart failure and other changes in heart health. In most healthy dogs and cats, this number will eventually slow to less than 30 breaths per minute during deep sleep. Occasionally, a normal sleeping respiratory rate may be slightly above 30 breaths per minute. Monitoring trends over time can be helpful in these cases.
Watch the videos above to learn how to monitor your pet’s breathing rate at home.
📝 Tips for Tracking RR at Home
- Only count the rise and fall of the chest or in and out of the belly while your pet is asleep or very relaxed. The goal is to obtain the slowest rate that occurs in a day. Your pet’s breathing rate is most likely to be the slowest during deep sleep. Remember that many things can cause the rate to be faster for a period of time, such as dreaming, having been active, or being excited. Try not to touch your pet during counting.
- Count for 15 seconds and multiple by 4 to get breaths per minute. You can also count for 10 seconds and multiply by 6 or count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2.
- Use a daily log (download one below) or an app (like Cardalis or Heart2Heart) to track changes over time.
- If you have difficulty seeing your pet’s breathing, try to video record and count the movements on the video.
🚨 When to Contact Your Veterinarian
Contact your veterinarian promptly if your pet’s resting respiratory rate is consistently increasing, exceeds their normal baseline, or if you notice coughing, labored breathing, weakness, or decreased activity.
- If your pet’s sleeping (slowest) breathing rate is consistently increasing or remains above their established baseline (often around 30 breaths per minute).
- If breathing seems labored or your pet is panting while resting without improvement after 5-10 minutes of rest.
- If there is a sudden increase compared to previous days
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a normal sleeping respiratory rate for a dog?
In most dogs, including many dogs with stable heart disease, the sleeping respiratory rate will eventually slow to less than 30 breaths per minute during deep sleep. Monitoring trends over time is often more helpful than focusing on a single measurement.
What is a normal sleeping respiratory rate for a cat?
In most cats, including many cats with stable heart disease, the sleeping respiratory rate will eventually slow to less than 30 breaths per minute during deep sleep. Monitoring trends over time is often more helpful than focusing on a single measurement.
Should I count breathing when my pet is awake?
No. Respiratory rate should be measured while your pet is sleeping or completely relaxed.
Why should I measure my pet's respiratory rate during deep sleep?
Respiratory rate is most accurate when your pet is in a deep sleep because breathing tends to be slower and more consistent. Rates measured while your pet is awake, dreaming, moving, excited, or simply resting may be higher and more variable. Monitoring the sleeping respiratory rate helps establish a reliable baseline and makes it easier to identify important changes over time.
How often should I monitor respiratory rate?
The recommended frequency varies depending on your pet’s condition. Your veterinarian or veterinary cardiologist may recommend monitoring daily, several times per week, weekly, or less often. Tracking trends over time is often more important than any single measurement.
Is a sleeping respiratory rate above 30 breaths per minute always abnormal?
Not necessarily. Most dogs and cats, including those with stable heart disease, have a sleeping respiratory rate below 30 breaths per minute. However, some pets may naturally have a slightly higher sleeping rate. An elevated respiratory rate can also occur if your pet is not fully asleep, is dreaming, has recently changed position, or if the lowest respiratory rate of the day was not recorded. For pets with heart disease, a persistently increasing respiratory rate may be an early sign of congestive heart failure. The most important factor is monitoring trends over time and discussing any concerns with your veterinarian or veterinary cardiologist.
If my pet's sleeping respiratory rate is below 30 breaths per minute, does that mean they do not have congestive heart failure?
A sleeping respiratory rate consistently below 30 breaths per minute is generally reassuring and makes congestive heart failure (CHF) less likely. In many cases, pets with active CHF will have an elevated sleeping respiratory rate. However, respiratory rate is only one piece of information and should always be interpreted alongside your pet’s clinical signs, physical examination findings, and medical history.
If there is uncertainty about whether CHF is present, additional testing such as chest radiographs (x-rays) may be recommended. X-rays can help identify fluid in or around the lungs and provide important information that cannot be determined from respiratory rate monitoring alone.
Monitoring trends over time remains important. A gradual increase from your pet’s normal baseline may be significant even if the respiratory rate remains below 30 breaths per minute.
What if I'm having difficulty counting my pet's sleeping respiratory rate?
Some pets wake up easily or do not spend much time in a deep sleep while being observed. Try counting from a distance or recording a short video and counting the breaths afterward. If necessary, you may measure the respiratory rate while your pet is quietly resting, but the rate may be higher and more variable than during deep sleep. Monitoring trends over time and measuring under similar conditions are often more important than any single measurement.
If you’re unsure whether your pet’s breathing is normal, please reach out to your primary care veterinarian for further guidance. Monitoring your pet’s resting respiratory rate is an important part of managing heart disease at home. If your pet has been referred for a cardiac evaluation, learn more about what to expect during your pet’s cardiology evaluation.
Concerned About Your Pet’s Breathing or Heart Health?
Veterinary Cardiac Care provides cardiology services through partnering veterinary clinics throughout San Diego County and the Coachella Valley.