Oxygen Requirements for Dogs at High Altitude

Oxygen requirements for dogs at high altitudes depend on the type of activity you are engaging in. If you are taking your dog on a plane, the cabin that the dog will be in is pressurized, making the increase in altitude not directly change the amount of oxygen that is pumped into the cabin. If you are going on a hike or climb with your dog, climbing above 8,000 feet of elevation will begin to effect the oxygen intake of your dog.

  1. Oxygen Altitude Change

    • Traditionally, oxygen levels at sea level are 21 percent. As you take your dog to a higher altitude, the amount of oxygen molecules in each breath decreases despite the oxygen percentage level staying the same. While the barometric pressure at sea level of oxygen is around 760 mmHg, it reduces to 483 mmHg at 12,000 feet, a reduction of 40 percent. This reduction in oxygen at high altitudes can affect you and your dog's oxygen levels and respiratory functions in a variety of ways.

    Hypoxia and Altitude Sickness

    • If you take your dog to a high elevation without proper training, it is possible that your dog will suffer from hypoxia, which is a form of altitude sickness. With an increase in elevation, the amount of oxygen in the air in thins out. In response to this, your dog's nervous system will be working harder to give your body stable amounts of oxygen. A side effect of this strain on your dog's body could be dizziness, panting and nausea.

    Oxygen Masks

    • Despite being reserved for an emergency, oxygen masks can be administered to dogs who are suffering from low oxygen levels at high altitudes. If you have been training your body to function at high altitudes without your dog, and then introduce your dog to an extremely high altitude level, either in a private plane or on a mountain, your dog may suffer from severe altitude sickness. While most cases of altitude sickness can be resolved with supplemental hydration and certain veterinary medications, an oxygen mask can be administered in more severe situations. Some planes come equipped with oxygen masks that will fit onto pets and dogs.

    Acclimatization

    • While oxygen levels must be over three percent in the air, or else you risk asphyxiation, there are no hard and fast oxygen requirements for humans and dogs because of acclimatization. As you increase in elevation, your body naturally adjusts to the change in altitude. Complications often occur when dogs or individuals climb too high too fast. If you go up to an altitude of 8,000 feet but stay there for several days, your body will adapt by increasing in depth of respiration, red blood cell production and an increase in pulmonary artery pressure.