Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Sleeping and resting breathing rates in dogs with early heart disease
By Ohad, Dan G et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2013·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Sleeping and resting respiratory rates in dogs with subclinical heart disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at the breathing rates of 190 adult dogs with early signs of heart disease, specifically those with mitral valve disease or dilated cardiomyopathy. The dogs' sleeping respiratory rates (SRRs) averaged 16 breaths per minute, while resting respiratory rates (RRRs) averaged 21 breaths per minute, which is considered normal. Most dogs had stable breathing rates, and only a few exceeded 25 breaths per minute, indicating that their heart disease was still in the early stages. This information can help pet owners monitor their dogs' breathing patterns at home, especially if they have been diagnosed with heart issues.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · heart disease in dogs · normal breathing rate for dogs · dog heart disease symptoms · how to monitor dog breathing at home
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize sleeping respiratory rates (SRRs) and resting respiratory rates (RRRs), collected in the home environment, of dogs with subclinical heart disease that could result in left-sided congestive heart failure. DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: 190 adult dogs with subclinical left-sided heart disease. PROCEDURES: Most dogs had mitral valve disease or dilated cardiomyopathy of various severities. Clients collected ten 1-minute SRRs or RRRs during a period ranging from 1 week to 6 months. Clinicians provided echocardiographic and medical data on each patient. RESULTS: The within-dog mean SRR (SRRmean; 16 breaths/min) was significantly lower than the within-dog mean RRR (RRRmean; 21 breaths/min). Seven dogs had SRRmean and 33 dogs had RRRmean > 25 breaths/min; 1 dog had SRRmean and 12 dogs had RRRmean > 30 breaths/min; these dogs mostly had a left atrial (LA)-to-aortic ratio > 1.8. Dogs with moderate LA enlargement had a significantly higher SRRmean than did other dogs. However, median SRRmean for each of 4 levels of LA enlargement was < 20 breaths/min; median RRRmean for each of 4 levels of LA enlargement was < 25 breaths/min. Both within-dog SRR and RRR remained stable for 10 consecutive measurements. Treatment with cardiac medications or presence of pulmonary hypertension was not associated with SRRmean or RRRmean. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that dogs with confirmed subclinical left-sided heart disease of various severities generally had SRRmean < 25 breaths/min, which was infrequently exceeded at any time, and that SRR and RRR remained stable, regardless of individual within-dog SRRmean or RRRmean.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24004231/