Respiratory Rate Chart: Normal Breathing Rates for Humans and Pets
Whether you're monitoring your own health, watching over a child, or tracking your pet's breathing, having a clear reference for what's normal makes all the difference. This chart covers normal respiratory rates across ages and species, what the numbers mean, and when a reading should prompt action.
Respiratory Rate Chart at a Glance
| Age / Species | Normal Resting Rate (breaths/min) | Elevated — Monitor Closely | Seek Medical/Vet Attention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | 15–30 | 30–40 | Above 40 at rest |
| Cat | 20–30 | 30–40 | Above 40 or open-mouth breathing |
| Newborn (0–6 months) | 30–60 | 60–70 | Above 70 or with distress signs |
| Infant (6–12 months) | 24–50 | 50–60 | Above 60 or with distress signs |
| Toddler (1–3 years) | 22–34 | 34–40 | Above 40 |
| Child (4–12 years) | 18–28 | 28–34 | Above 34 |
| Adolescent (13–17 years) | 12–22 | 22–28 | Above 28 |
| Adult (18+ years) | 12–20 | 20–25 | Above 25 or below 10 |
| Elderly adult (65+) | 12–24 | 24–30 | Above 30 or below 10 |
Understanding the Numbers
What Respiratory Rate Tells You
Respiratory rate reflects how hard the body is working to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. When everything is functioning well, breathing is slow, regular, and effortless. When the lungs, heart, or blood are compromised, the body compensates by breathing faster.
This is why respiratory rate is considered one of the four primary vital signs in human medicine and one of the most important home-monitoring metrics in veterinary cardiology.
Why Resting Rate Matters Most
A breathing rate measured after a run or during a moment of anxiety tells you very little. The resting rate — ideally measured during calm relaxation or sleep — is the number that provides real clinical insight. It's the baseline against which changes become meaningful.
For pets especially, sleeping respiratory rate is the gold standard. Veterinary cardiologists use it as a primary monitoring tool for dogs and cats with heart disease because it tends to rise before other symptoms appear.
How to Measure Respiratory Rate Accurately
Accurate measurement requires three things: a calm subject, consistent timing, and reliable tracking.
The manual method: Watch the chest or abdomen rise and fall. Each complete cycle (inhale + exhale) is one breath. Count for 60 seconds. Record the result with the date and time.
The easier method: Use the Breaths Per Minute app. Tap the screen once per breath and the app handles timing, calculation, and record-keeping automatically. Every measurement is saved, so over time you build a trend that's far more useful than any single number.
Track Respiratory Rate the Easy Way
Stop juggling stopwatches and mental math. Just tap once per breath and let the app do the rest.
Respiratory Rate by Category: What to Know
Dogs
Normal resting rate for dogs is 15 to 30 breaths per minute. Persistent rates above 30 at rest are worth noting; persistent rates above 40 at rest, especially in a dog with known heart disease, typically warrant a veterinary call.
Panting should not be confused with normal breathing. A panting dog's respiratory rate is not clinically meaningful — wait until they're calm and breathing with their mouth closed.
Cats
Cats normally breathe 20 to 30 times per minute at rest. Cats are obligate nasal breathers, so open-mouth breathing at rest is always abnormal and often urgent.
Because cats hide illness effectively, respiratory rate monitoring is one of the most reliable at-home tools for catching problems early.
Adults
A healthy adult at rest breathes 12 to 20 times per minute. Rates below 12 (bradypnea) or above 20 (tachypnea) at rest may indicate an underlying issue. Chronic conditions like COPD, heart failure, anxiety disorders, and anemia can all affect baseline respiratory rate.
Tracking your own breathing rate periodically can serve as an early-warning system, much like monitoring resting heart rate.
Children and Infants
Children breathe faster than adults, and younger children breathe faster than older ones. This is normal — smaller lungs require more frequent cycles to meet the body's oxygen needs.
Parents and caregivers should be aware of the age-appropriate ranges listed in the chart above. Pediatricians often assess respiratory rate as a key indicator when evaluating sick children.
Trends Matter More Than Single Readings
A single respiratory rate measurement is a snapshot. It can be affected by ambient temperature, a recent nap, a startling noise, or a dozen other transient factors.
What truly matters is the trend. If your dog's sleeping respiratory rate has been 18 to 22 for weeks and suddenly reads 30, 32, 34 over the course of a few days — that's a meaningful signal, even though 30 falls within the "normal" range for dogs in general. It's not normal for that dog.
This is why consistent tracking with a tool like Breaths Per Minute is so powerful. The app stores every measurement, letting you spot upward trends before they become emergencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
For adults, a resting rate above 25 or below 10 breaths per minute should prompt medical evaluation. For dogs and cats, sustained resting rates above 40 breaths per minute are concerning. In cats, any open-mouth breathing is a potential emergency.
Yes. Infants breathe the fastest, and respiratory rate gradually decreases through childhood into adulthood. In elderly adults, the range widens slightly due to reduced lung elasticity and potential underlying conditions.
Sleeping or calm resting is preferred. Sleep removes the influence of stress, excitement, and conscious breathing pattern changes. For pets, sleeping respiratory rate is the clinical standard.
For healthy individuals and pets, periodic checks (weekly or a few times per month) help establish a baseline. For anyone with a known heart or lung condition — especially pets — daily monitoring is commonly recommended by clinicians.