Ventilation is merely having the proper access to oxygen for breathing purposes. Breathing is what sustains humans. Inhaling and exhaling air from our lungs.

ventilation = machinery breathing = life Source: a dictionary

I think ventilation usually relates to a building, car, ship or something like that. Something not alive. If you look on paint or aerosol cans sometimes it will say "Use in a well-ventilated area." The word in relation to animals is "respiration". Sometime people use ventilation when talking about clothes or shoes.