Puppy’s Heart is Beating So Fast & Irregular – Top 3 Reasons Why

A puppy is way more energetic and active than an older dog, which does mean that the heart rate is going to be more elevated. A veterinary consultation as soon as possible is recommended to ensure no health issues are causing the fast or irregular heart beats in your puppy. There are some likely causes for this quick and irregular heart beat that you might not be aware of.

1. Your Puppy is Hugely Stressed or Excited

You might not think about it but stress or over-excitement can be a root cause as to why your puppy’s heart is beating fast and irregular. Puppies are generally more excitable than older dogs, and often times are more energetic overall. Whether it’s stress or excitement, these feelings will cause the heart to begin to race much quicker than it should. If you have noticed the quicker heartbeat when your puppy is excited, it’s important to try to calm them down and remove stimuli that is causing problems.

Likewise, if stress is causing this heart rate to climb too high, you need to try to remove the stress from the environment if possible. Some stressors cannot be removed by the owner, such as a storm rolling through or a move. It’s important during these times to provide as much comfort as you can to your dog and implementing calming methods that your dog will respond to. Certain medications can also correct some issues, such as if your dog is stressed due to anxiety or neurological problems.

2. Your Puppy is Suffering from Cardiac Disease

Various types of cardiac disease could be the root cause of your puppy having an irregular or quicker heart beat. Tachycardia can be broken down into two different types, which are supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia. Supraventricular tachycardia involves the atria whereas ventricular tachycardia involves the ventricles. The ventricles are critical for a functioning heart as it’s what pumps the blood. When ventricular tachycardia is the cause, it is life-threatening because sudden death or a sudden collapse can occur if not treated right away.

Other cardiac disease could be the culprit too, including dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and subaortic stenosis. Some of these issues could be genetic and more likely to occur with certain breeds of dogs, so it’s vital to know if cardiac disease is common in the breed you own. The good news is that cardiac disease is often treatable if found quickly, which is why veterinary consultation as soon as possible is so important. Some treatments include medications, lifestyle changes, and also surgery can correct a variety of more serious problems.

3. Your Puppy Could be Feeling Hot and Exhausted

Heat exhaustion happens in puppies just like it does humans, and could result in life-threatening situations if not addressed quickly and appropriately. Quick breathing along with the quick heartbeat together are signs of possible heat exhaustion. If you think your dog is suffering from heat exhaustion, get them inside immediately to a cooler environment.

Provide water and ice cubes for your dog so that they can begin to cool down. Puppies have a higher risk of heat exhaustion due to their active and energetic lifestyle so watch them closely during the warmer months.

What is the Average Heart Rate for a Puppy?

In puppies, the average heart rate is 220 beats per minute, although slightly higher or lower than this is not of concern. If your puppy is engaging in exercise, it’s not uncommon for the heart rate to be slightly elevated, although after some rest it should decrease to the 220 beats per minute.