Respiratory rate is one of the simplest clinical parameters to assess, yet it can provide some of the most valuable information about a patient’s condition.

Whether you’re performing an admission assessment, monitoring a post-operative patient or checking on a hospitalised cat who has decided that everyone on the ward is deeply offensive, respiratory assessment is an essential part of everyday veterinary nursing.

But there’s more to it than counting a few breaths and writing down a number.

Understanding normal respiratory rates, recognising changes in breathing patterns and identifying increased respiratory effort can help veterinary professionals recognise early signs of deterioration and intervene appropriately.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to measure respiratory rate in dogs and cats, what normal values look like, how to recognise abnormalities and why respiratory effort is just as important as the number itself.

1. What Is Respiratory Rate?

Respiratory rate refers to the number of complete respiratory cycles an animal takes per minute. It is measured in breaths per minute (brpm).

One complete respiratory cycle consists of:

• Inspiration: The process of drawing air into the lungs.
• Expiration: The process of moving air out of the lungs.

During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and moves caudally, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and allowing the lungs to expand.

Expiration is usually passive during normal breathing, with the respiratory muscles relaxing and the lungs recoiling.

Respiratory rate is an important component of patient assessment because changes can be associated with respiratory disease, cardiovascular compromise, pain, stress and metabolic abnormalities.

However, respiratory rate alone doesn’t tell us everything about how effectively a patient is breathing.

A patient may have a relatively normal respiratory rate but demonstrate significant respiratory effort, making it essential to assess both rate and breathing pattern.

The lungs are a fascinating organ. For the anatomy nerds out there, take a look at 9 Essential Facts About Cat Lung Anatomy: A Complete Guide for Veterinary Nurses, Students & Cat Owners

2. What Is a Normal Respiratory Rate in Dogs and Cats?

Knowing the expected respiratory rate for your patient provides a useful starting point when interpreting clinical observations.

As a general reference, normal resting respiratory rates are approximately:

Species	Normal resting respiratory rate
Dogs	10–30 breaths per minute
Cats	20–30 breaths per minute

These are approximate reference ranges rather than absolute diagnostic cut-offs. Values can vary depending on age, activity, environmental temperature, stress and individual patient characteristics.

Normal respiratory rate in dogs

Dogs generally have a resting respiratory rate of approximately 10–30 breaths per minute.

Factors that may influence their respiratory rate include:

• Exercise and physical activity
• Excitement or anxiety
• Environmental temperature
• Pain or discomfort
• Underlying respiratory or cardiovascular disease

Panting is also a normal thermoregulatory behaviour in dogs. Unlike humans, dogs rely heavily on evaporative cooling through the respiratory tract to regulate body temperature.

However, persistent panting at rest, particularly when accompanied by other clinical abnormalities, should never automatically be dismissed as normal.

We cover lung anatomy in dogs too 8 Powerful Insights into Dog Lung Anatomy: A Complete Guide for Veterinary Nurses and Students

Normal respiratory rate in cats

Cats generally have a resting respiratory rate of approximately 20–30 breaths per minute.

Unlike dogs, cats don’t typically rely on panting as a normal cooling mechanism.

Panting or open-mouth breathing in cats should therefore be treated as a potential clinical concern, particularly if it occurs without obvious exertion or stress.

Cats are also particularly good at hiding signs of illness. Subtle changes in respiratory rate or effort may be one of the first indications that something isn’t quite right.

3. How to Measure Respiratory Rate in Dogs and Cats

Fortunately, measuring respiratory rate doesn’t require specialist equipment.

In fact, sometimes the best piece of equipment is simply a little patience and the ability to observe your patient without disturbing them.

You’ll generally need:

• A watch or timer with a second hand
• A clinical monitoring chart or patient record
• A calm patient, ideally resting comfortably

Step 1: Allow your patient to settle

Where possible, assess respiratory rate when the patient is calm and resting.

Handling, restraint, excitement and environmental stress can all increase respiratory rate, potentially producing a reading that doesn’t accurately reflect the patient’s resting baseline.

This is particularly important when assessing cats.

If possible, observe them in their kennel without opening the door or disturbing them.

Step 2: Observe thoracic or abdominal movement

Watch the patient’s chest or abdominal wall as they breathe.

Each complete rise and fall represents one respiratory cycle.

Depending on the patient, breathing movement may be more noticeable over the thorax or abdomen.

Try to position yourself where you can clearly observe the movement without making the patient aware of your presence.

Step 3: Count the breaths

Count each complete respiratory cycle over a measured period.

You can use:

• 15 seconds and multiply by four.
• 30 seconds and multiply by two.
• 60 seconds for a full minute.

For example, if you count eight complete respiratory cycles over 15 seconds:

8 × 4 = 32 breaths per minute.

For patients with irregular breathing patterns or suspected respiratory compromise, counting for a full minute provides a more representative measurement.

Step 4: Record your findings

Document the respiratory rate alongside other clinical observations.

Importantly, don’t just record the number.

Make a note of any abnormalities in breathing pattern, depth, effort or sound.

For example, a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute may fall within the expected range for an adult cat, but if the patient is demonstrating increased abdominal effort, this is still a significant clinical finding.

Top tip: When monitoring hospitalised patients, try to obtain observations under similar conditions where possible. This makes it easier to identify meaningful changes rather than variations caused by handling or activity.

4. Respiratory Rate vs Respiratory Effort: What’s the Difference?

This is one of the most important distinctions to understand when assessing respiratory function.

Respiratory rate tells us how frequently a patient is breathing.

Respiratory effort describes how much work the patient is having to do to breathe.

A patient can have a normal respiratory rate but still be experiencing significant respiratory distress.

What does normal breathing look like?

In a healthy, resting patient, breathing should generally appear:

• Quiet and relatively effortless.
• Regular and consistent.
• Without exaggerated chest or abdominal movement.
• Without obvious use of accessory respiratory muscles.
• Without abnormal respiratory sounds.

Signs of increased respiratory effort

Abnormal respiratory effort may include:

Abdominal breathing: Exaggerated abdominal movement during respiration, potentially indicating increased work of breathing.

Extended neck posture: Patients may extend their neck and position their head forward to help facilitate airflow.

Orthopnoea: A posture adopted to make breathing easier, often involving sternal positioning, abducted elbows and an extended neck.

Paradoxical breathing: The thorax and abdomen move in opposite directions during respiration. This may indicate serious respiratory dysfunction, including diaphragmatic abnormalities.

Open-mouth breathing: Particularly concerning in cats, where it may indicate significant respiratory compromise.

When assessing a patient, always consider their overall breathing pattern rather than relying solely on the respiratory rate.

5. Recognising Tachypnoea, Bradypnoea and Dyspnoea

Understanding common respiratory abnormalities helps veterinary nurses recognise when further investigation or intervention may be required.

Tachypnoea

Tachypnoea refers to an abnormally increased respiratory rate.

Potential causes include:

• Pain or discomfort
• Anxiety and stress
• Hyperthermia or pyrexia
• Respiratory disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Hypoxaemia
• Metabolic acidosis
• Shock

An increased respiratory rate isn’t automatically evidence of respiratory disease.

For example, a dog that has just been exercising or is panting in a warm environment may have an elevated respiratory rate.

However, persistent tachypnoea at rest, particularly when accompanied by increased respiratory effort, warrants further assessment.

Bradypnoea

Bradypnoea refers to an abnormally reduced respiratory rate.

Potential causes include:

• Central nervous system depression
• Certain medications, including opioids and anaesthetic agents
• Severe hypothermia
• Neurological abnormalities
• Respiratory fatigue
• Severe metabolic disturbances

Bradypnoea may be particularly significant in anaesthetised patients, where drug effects and anaesthetic depth can influence respiratory function.

A reduced respiratory rate accompanied by shallow breathing or poor ventilation requires prompt assessment.

Dyspnoea

Dyspnoea describes difficult or laboured breathing.

Unlike tachypnoea and bradypnoea, which describe changes in respiratory rate, dyspnoea describes the patient’s difficulty breathing.

Clinical signs may include:

• Increased respiratory effort
• Extended neck posture
• Abducted elbows
• Open-mouth breathing
• Cyanosis
• Restlessness or inability to settle

Respiratory distress is an emergency, particularly in cats.

If a patient is showing signs of significant respiratory compromise, minimise handling and stress, provide appropriate oxygen supplementation where indicated and alert the veterinary surgeon immediately.

6. Why Resting Respiratory Rate Matters

One particularly useful application of respiratory rate monitoring is assessing patients at rest.

Resting respiratory rate (RRR) can provide valuable information about changes in respiratory and cardiovascular function.

This is particularly relevant in patients with known cardiac disease.

For example, an increase in resting respiratory rate may be associated with the development or progression of congestive heart failure.

Owners of patients with cardiac disease may be encouraged by their veterinary team to monitor sleeping respiratory rates at home.

A consistent increase from the individual patient’s baseline may indicate deterioration and should prompt veterinary assessment.

It is important to distinguish a genuinely resting or sleeping respiratory rate from one measured when the patient is panting, dreaming, active or stressed.

For veterinary nurses, discussing home respiratory monitoring with owners can be a useful part of supporting patients with chronic cardiac disease.

We cover heart anatomy, too! Heart Anatomy and Physiology for Veterinary Nurses: An Essential Clinical Guide

7. Respiratory Rate During Anaesthesia and Hospitalisation

Respiratory monitoring becomes particularly important when caring for anaesthetised and hospitalised patients.

Changes in respiratory rate may indicate complications that require prompt investigation.

Anaesthetic monitoring

During general anaesthesia, respiratory rate and pattern should be monitored alongside other parameters, including:

• Oxygen saturation (SpO2)
• End-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2)
• Heart rate and rhythm
• Blood pressure
• Anaesthetic depth
• Temperature

Anaesthetic agents can cause dose-dependent respiratory depression, reducing respiratory rate, tidal volume or both.

However, a respiratory rate that appears normal doesn’t necessarily mean ventilation is adequate.

Capnography provides additional information by measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide in expired air, helping assess ventilation.

Hospitalised patients

For patients recovering from surgery or receiving medical treatment, regular respiratory observations help identify changes in clinical condition.

An increasing respiratory rate may be associated with:

• Pain
• Pyrexia
• Fluid overload
• Respiratory complications
• Cardiovascular deterioration
• Metabolic abnormalities

A patient who develops an increased respiratory rate alongside changes in mentation, mucous membrane colour or pulse quality should be assessed promptly.

As always, compare current observations with previous readings and the patient’s overall clinical presentation.

Common Respiratory Assessment Mistakes

Even experienced veterinary professionals can occasionally overlook important details when recording respiratory observations.

Some common mistakes include:

• Counting too quickly: Short counting intervals may produce inaccurate results, particularly when breathing is irregular.
• Disturbing the patient: Handling or restraint can increase respiratory rate and affect the reliability of the measurement.
• Ignoring respiratory effort: A normal respiratory rate doesn’t rule out respiratory distress.
• Confusing panting with normal respiration: Panting changes the breathing pattern and should be interpreted in context.
• Recording numbers without observations: Documenting respiratory rate without noting effort, pattern or abnormalities can miss important clinical information.
• Failing to recognise trends: A gradual increase in respiratory rate may be more significant than a single isolated reading.

The PDSA also discuss how to take a respiratory rate here How to: Record a resting respiratory rate – PDSA

Conclusion

Knowing how to measure respiratory rate in dogs and cats is an essential veterinary nursing skill that can provide valuable insight into a patient’s respiratory and overall clinical status.

Understanding normal resting values, recognising changes in respiratory pattern and identifying increased respiratory effort all contribute to effective patient monitoring.

Most importantly, respiratory assessment should never be reduced to a number on a monitoring chart.

A patient breathing at 24 breaths per minute may appear perfectly comfortable, while another breathing at the same rate may be working considerably harder to move air.

It’s the combination of respiratory rate, effort, pattern and the wider clinical picture that matters.

For more clinical reference information, explore our guide to Normal Dog and Cat Vitals: 9 Critical Clinical Values Every Veterinary Nurse Must Know, covering temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.