My cairn breathes very fast

[Maksym]

Hi!

I have a 5 months old cairn terrier. Few days ago I started to travel with her. Each day contains long walking, traveling by a train, living in a new hotel. From the beginning of the travel I noticed that my cairn breathes very fast: she can make 120 breath movements! She breathes in this way even at night. Sometimes she breathes normally. Her physical activity and the behavior are normal, her heart rate is ~90 beats per minute (and up to 120 when it's warm). It is relatively warm in the place where we're traveling. I do not know how she breathed before the beginning of ,the travel.

 

I am wondering whether this is a symptom of some disease, a stress, or something ordinary for dogs? I would be grateful for an advise.

Edited May 26, 2019 by Maksym

[bradl]

Some reference points to help you assess. 

http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-checkups-preventive-care/pet-first-aid-102

 

[bradl]

I will add that my old dog does pant during travel whereas she is normal at home. Clearly it's stress in her case but probably preferable to motion-sickness and vomiting. 

[sanford]

Your concern is appropriate and an example of puzzling symptoms, behaviors, etc. that can sometimes occur with many of our pets. Even for a vet, trying to determine the cause can be as much an art as a science. In such a circumstance, I would bring my pup to a vet... I'm all for seeking the expertise of experienced professional help in such a situation.

Your pup is young, going through developmental changes. Added to that is his life of travel with you with ever-changing places, sights, sounds, smells. Can this cause anxiety to which he might eventually adjust and outgrow? Just one of many possibilities from what might be a fairly lengthy list.

Good luck and let us know how things turn out!

P.S. I just remembered -we used to have a dog in the family who would travel with us up to the country every weekend. As soon as we got within several miles of the house she would start to pant heavily, clearly happy with the familiar country smells, sticking her nose out the slightly opened car  window, wagging her tail. An example of the same symptom that could be interpreted as good or bad depending on the situation.

Edited May 27, 2019 by sanford