Frenchie Breathing (new owner question)

Ripley509 · Jul 6, 2017

Hi All,

I've been lurking but just recently registered to post. My husband and I got Ripley, an 8 week old pied Frenchie this weekend. I noticed that she breathes a bit fast and has a slight "whistle" through her nose. We took her in for a check up yesterday and the vet said she seems healthy - heart and lungs sound good, joints feel good, etc. I'd recorded her breathing a few times the night before because it seemed fast to me. The vet didn't bring it up but I asked because while we were there I noticed what seemed like a bit of retraction around her ribs. The vet asked if she did it all the time and I mentioned it was pretty much frequent. She seems fine and hasn't been breathing through her mouth or anything. The vet said she acknowledged that there was some "working" when she breathed and it could be her nose or soft palette, or a narrow trachea (that she mentioned she couldn't really treat), but nothing that was immediately concerning and nothing we had to worry about yet. Today was our first "warm" day, and I thought she seemed a bit faster than normal. I'm not sure if this is just normal Frenchie puppy or not. Again, the vet said yesterday she seemed really good and I know I'm likely just not used to Frenchie sounds. I'm also hyper-paranoid because we lost our last dog very unexpectedly in January. Thanks for any input!

Some videos:

First video from today when it was a bit warm:

Second video from today when it was a bit warm:

Third video from Tuesday sleeping on the couch:

Fourth video from today, when it was a bit warm, wanting to get on the couch

Fifth video from Tuesday sleeping on the couch:

Ripley509 · Jul 6, 2017

Follow up to add this is her later today - doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all! Just still a little squeak.

Ripley running around

Ripley wanting up on the couch

Couch again

Cbrugs · Jul 6, 2017

I can't watch YouTube from my work computer but puppies usually do breathe faster than adult dogs.

2bullymama · Jul 6, 2017

My goodness she is precious.... at 8 weeks old she seems very normal to me. [MENTION=4]davidh[/MENTION] has a wealth of puppy experience and might have more insight.

Ripley509 · Jul 6, 2017

2bullymama said:
My goodness she is precious.... at 8 weeks old she seems very normal to me. @<u><a href="http://frenchbulldognews.com/members/davidh/" target="_blank">davidh</a></u> has a wealth of puppy experience and might have more insight.

Thank you! I'm the type of person who researches so much about what could go wrong that I sometimes convince myself that something is actually wrong even if it's not. It's really the flaring nostrils and chest movements. Only a few times has she made that fireball sound and once she stick her tongue out but was completely normal. One more for good measure.

2bullymama · Jul 6, 2017

Ripley509 said:
Thank you! I'm the type of person who researches so much about what could go wrong that I sometimes convince myself that something is actually wrong even if it's not. It's really the flaring nostrils and chest movements. Only a few times has she made that fireball sound and once she stick her tongue out but was completely normal. One more for good measure.

Yeah.... still precious and not seeing anything to alarm me.

Ripley509 · Jul 6, 2017

Thank you!

Alice Kable · Jul 6, 2017

She is adorable and sounds completely normal to me!

Ripley509 · Jul 7, 2017

Alice Kable said:
She is adorable and sounds completely normal to me!

Thank you!

james1991 · Jul 7, 2017

Your puppy seems completely healthy frenchies are weird breathers. My boy snores like a train but the vet check him and said he is perfect.

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Ripley509 · Jul 7, 2017

james1991 said:
Your puppy seems completely healthy frenchies are weird breathers. My boy snores like a train but the vet check him and said he is perfect.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you!!

Jakeyjake · Jul 12, 2017

What a cutie! Seems pretty normal to me too.

davidh · Jul 13, 2017

@Riplet509 she is adorable, and seems fine to me. Pups will breath different when they sleep, faster and sometimes deeper. You said it was kind of warm, who warn is it? They need a cool enviroment, no more the 78 deg F. if possible and a fan. A pup doesn't need it cold though. AS long as you house is between 75 to 78 Deg F. you should be good. Any hotter and she will need a fan blowing on her. They will breath deeper and faster if they are a little too warm, to cool off. When she gets a little older and you still hear the whistling when breathing, you may need to take her to a good Frenchie vet and let them look at her and may have her nares widened, which is no big deal, but only let a good English bulldog and French bulldog vet do that. She may not even need it, but too soon to tell. Enjoy your pup, she is precious.

Ripley509 · Jul 13, 2017

davidh said:
@Riplet509 she is adorable, and seems fine to me. Pups will breath different when they sleep, faster and sometimes deeper. You said it was kind of warm, who warn is it? They need a cool enviroment, no more the 78 deg F. if possible and a fan. A pup doesn't need it cold though. AS long as you house is between 75 to 78 Deg F. you should be good. Any hotter and she will need a fan blowing on her. They will breath deeper and faster if they are a little too warm, to cool off. When she gets a little older and you still hear the whistling when breathing, you may need to take her to a good Frenchie vet and let them look at her and may have her nares widened, which is no big deal, but only let a good English bulldog and French bulldog vet do that. She may not even need it, but too soon to tell. Enjoy your pup, she is precious.

Thank you so much for your advice and kind words! &#55357;&#56842; It had definitely been warm but we've got the temp a bit more regulated now!