Sleeping respiratory rates in apparently healthy adult dogs

• Published in: Research in veterinary science Vol. 93; no. 2; pp. 965 - 969
• Main Authors: Rishniw, M., Ljungvall, I., Porciello, F., Häggström, J., Ohad, D.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2012; Elsevier India Pvt Ltd; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: adults; Animals; Body Weight; Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems; Cardiac disease; Cardiovascular disease; Congestive heart failure; cross-sectional studies; Dogs; Dogs - physiology; Female; Kardiologi; Male; monitoring; patients; Personal relationships; Pets; Reference intervals; Respiratory frequency; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; Respiratory rate; sleep; Sleep - physiology; Standard deviation; Statistical methods; Veterinary medicine; Respiratory frequency; Respiratory rate; Congestive heart failure; Cardiac disease; Reference intervals
• ISSN: 0034-5288; 1532-2661; 1532-2661
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2011.12.014

Respiratory rate monitoring of cardiac patients is recommended by many cardiologists. However, little objective data exist about respiratory rates in apparently healthy dogs when collected in the home environment. We measured sleeping respiratory rates (SRR) in apparently healthy dogs and compared sleeping and resting respiratory rates (RRR) with a cross-sectional prospective study. Participants collected 12–14 one-minute SRR over a period ranging from 1week to 2months on 114 privately owned adult dogs. Selected participants simultaneously collected RRR. Mean within-dog average SRR (SRRmean) was 13breaths per minute (breaths/min). No dog had SRRmean >23breaths/min; three dogs had instantaneous SRR measurements >30breaths/min. Dogs had higher RRRmean (19breaths/min) than SRRmean (15breaths/min) (P<0.05). Canine SRRmean was unaffected by age, bodyweight or geographic location. Data acquisition was considered relatively simple by most participants. This study shows that apparently healthy adult dogs generally have SRRmean <30breaths/min and rarely exceed this rate at any time.