Sleeping respiratory rate

For patients who are at risk of developing congestive heart failure and those who are already on treatment, it is very useful to regularly monitor their sleeping respiratory rate at home, as this parameter  significantly correlates with the degree of pulmonary congestion. Dogs and cats with well controlled congestive heart failure and those with subclinical disease should have sleeping respiratory rate consistently below 30 breaths per minute. Respiratory rates above 30 BPM indicate a possible urgent need for clinical assessment.