How can you tell if a dog is having labored breathing?
Signs of Difficult or Labored Breathing
- Open mouth breathing.
- Abdomen heaves with every breath.
- Fast and short breaths (hyperventilating)
- Breathing is noisy (raspy or congested)
- Nostrils flare open when breathing.
- Gum color is grey or blue instead of pink.
- Tongue is blue or purple instead of pink.
Why is my dog breathing fast and shallow?

Rapid breathing in dogs may simply be down to excitement or exercise. Dogs may also pant when they’re in fear, stressed or hot. Panting is one of the most important ways a dog thermoregulates. But beware, heavy or rapid breathing is an early sign of heat stroke and should be closely monitored.
Why does my dog breath so fast all the time?
Fast Breathing Fast breathing in dogs, also called tachypnea, is a rapid breath unlike panting. It’s the second most common dog breathing problems. Fast breathing could be the result of dyspnea (labored breathing) mentioned above, low red blood cells, low blood oxygen levels, or blood clots.
Is it normal for a dog to breathe heavy while sleeping?

But if you can rule out any exterior factors and your dog is still breathing heavily even while sleeping or resting, it’s a cause for concern. Abnormal breathing can be paired with one or several of the following:
How to diagnose a dog with heavy breathing symptoms?
Diagnosing a Dog With Heavy Breathing Symptoms 1 Hot Weather Can Cause Labored Breathing in Dogs. 2 Your Dog Might Breathe Heavily If He’s In Pain. Severe pain can cause labored breathing in dogs. 3 Congestive Heart Failure Can Cause Dog Respiratory Symptoms. 4 Heartworms Can Cause Heavy Breathing In Dogs.
What kind of dog breathes hard all the time?
Breathing hard is common in brachycephalic breeds, which is the name used for “flat-faced” breeds of dogs such as English bulldogs, French bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pugs, and Pekingese. The breathing condition that these breeds commonly have is called Brachycephalic Syndrome.
Why does my dog breathe so fast while sleeping?
One of the most common risk factors why a dog is breathing fast is being overweight. When a dog is overweighed, their heart works harder and as a result, they will breathe faster, especially during sleep or rest.
What could rapid breathing in dog be a sign of?
Medically known as tachypnea, rapid breathing can sometimes be a symptom of an underlying medical condition that warrants veterinary attention. Anemia, respiratory diseases and heart conditions are just a few of the many possible causes of increased breathing rates in dogs.
Is your dog breathing too fast?
When dogs are breathing unusually fast, they are said to be suffering from tachypnea . Causes of tachypnea include lower-respiratory issues such as bronchitis or fluid on the lungs and non-respiratory issues such as anaemia, heart disease and bloat. In some cases, tachypnea is also brought on by the likes of stress, fear, heat or fever.
Is it normal for dogs to breath really fast?
There are a few reasons why your dog may be breathing fast including pain or the lack of sufficient oxygen. The normal breathing rate of a dog is between 12 to 20 times per minute. When a dog is in pain, he may be breathing faster than usual. Even if dogs tend to hide pain, fast rate breathing may point that the dog is suffering.