My Dog Won't Stop Panting | What Should I Do? | Vets Now

If your dog is panting and restless, keeps panting, is panting abnormally, or is panting and shaking, it could be the first sign of ... NeedHelp?HelloAreyouworriedaboutyourPet?We’reheretohelp…VideoVetConsultationVideochatwithavetinminutesBookaVideoConsultationPetEmergencyClinicVisitaClinicinyourlocalareatodayFindanemergencyvetHomePetCareAdviceMydogwon’tstoppanting,whatshouldIdo?Whyismydogpanting?Dogspanttoregulatetheirtemperature.Unlikehumans,dogsaren’tabletoregulatetheirtemperatureusingsweatsoinstead,theypanttocirculatecoolairthroughtheirbodiesandtoevaporatewaterfromthemouthandupperrespiratorytract.Inthevastmajorityofcases,adogpantingisanormalsignofbeingexcited,hotorjusttakingabreatherfromexercising.Ifyou’reworriedyourdogispantingbecausetheyaretoohotandwanttocoolhimdown,checkoutourvet’stipsonhowtokeepyourdogcool.Whyismydogpantingsomuch?Ifyourdogispantingandrestless,keepspanting,ispantingabnormally,orispantingandshaking,itcouldbethefirstsignofsomethingmoreserious.Thisisespeciallythecaseifthey’repantingatatimethatseemsunusual,areindiscomfort,ortheirpantingsoundslouderorharsherthannormal.Ifyourdogseemstobestrugglingtogethisbreathorthereisachangeinthecolourofhistongueorgumscallyourvetimmediatelyor,outofhours,yournearestVetsNowpetemergencyservice.Worriedaboutyourdog'sbreathingorachangeingumcolour?Findyournearestclinicforimmediatetreatment.EnterCity,Town,orPostcodeFindmynearestclinicWanttovideochatwithavetprofessional?GetpersonalisedexpertadviceandpeaceofmindBookanappointmentExcessivepantingindogsmaybeanindicationofamoreserioushealthriskWhydodogspant?Thereareanumberofconditionswhichlistabnormal,heavyorexcessivepantingasasymptom.Theseinclude:HeatstrokeHeatstrokeisapotentiallyfatalconditionwhichoccurswhenadog’stemperaturerisestoadangerouslevel.Faster,heavierpantingisoneoftheearliestandmostcommonsignsofheatstrokeindogs.Urgentactionisrequiredtotreatthiscondition,asheat-relatedillnessescankillpetsinaslittleas15minutes.PoisoningAbnormalpantingmaybeasignalyourdoghasbeenpoisonedorhassufferedanallergicreaction.Poisoningsareoneofthemostcommonemergenciesourvetsandvetnursessee.Oftentheyaretheresultofchocolateorraisiningestion,swallowingdangerousplants,orlickingthingslikeantifreeze,ratpoisonorslugandsnailkiller.HeartfailureJustlikehumans,adog’sheartpumpsbloodrichinoxygenaroundthebody.Astheheartdeterioratesandisnolongerabletodothis,dogscandisplayseveralsigns,includingweakness,coughingandexerciseintolerance.Anothercommonsignispanting.Thisoccurswhentherespiratoryraterisestocompensateforthelackofoxygenbeingcirculated.BrachycephalicsyndromeOneofthemostcommonproblemssufferedbybrachycephalicdogs(breedswithflatfacessuchaspugsandFrenchbulldogs)isaninabilitytobreathenormally.Thisisespeciallythecaseafterexerciseorwhileeatingmeals.ThisconditioniscalledBrachycephalicObstructiveAirwaySyndrome(BOAS)andiscausedbyanarrowingoftheupperrespiratorytract.RespiratoryillnessDisordersinanypartoftherespiratorysystemcanleadtobreathingdifficultiesindogsandoneofthesignsmaybeheavybreathingorpanting.Thesedisorderscanincludelaryngealparalysis,lungtumoursandpneumonia.AnaemiaAnaemiaisdiagnosedwhenthere’safallinthenumberofredbloodcells.Becausethesecellstransportoxygenaroundthebody,anaemiacanleadtooxygendeprivation.This,inturn,mayresultinadogpantingmoretocompensate.ObesityObesityisagrowingproblemindogsandcanleadtoheartdisease,canceranddiabetes,aswellasdebilitatinglife-limitingconditionsincludingarthritis.Excessivepantinginanoverweightdogisoftenasignthatthey’restrugglingtogetfresh,oxygenatedbloodtotheirvitalsystems.Cushing’sdiseaseThissyndromeoccurswhenadog’sadrenalglandsproducetoomuchcortisol.Affecteddogs,whoareusuallymiddle-agedorolder,tendtopantmore,drinkmore,urinatemoreandwanttoeatmore.FindanEmergencyVetFindyournearestclinicforimmediatetreatment.EnterCity,Town,orPostcodeFindmynearestclinicNeedsomeadditionaladvice?ConsultwithourvetswithinthehourBookanappointmentDogsaren'tabletoregulatetheirbodytemperaturewithsweatlikehumansMoreonthistopicWhatarethesignsofheatstrokeindogsandhowcanIpreventit?GoLabouredbreathingproblemsindogsandpuppiesGoDodogspantwheninpain?Ifyourdogispantingheavilybuthasn’tbeenexercising,itcouldbethatthey’reinpain.Dogsinpainwilloftenpantwellbeforedisplayingmoreobvioussigns,suchasalimporwhining.It’sworthbearinginmindthatdogswithshallowbreathingcouldalsobesufferingpain.Whatelsecanleadtoheavypanting?Otherissueswhichmayresultinabnormalpantingindogsincludeanxiety,adversereactiontomedication,highbloodpressure,feverandmetabolicacidosis,whichiswhenthebodyproducestoomuchacid.Whataredyspnoeaandtachypnoea?Youmayhearyourvetreferringtothetermsdyspnoeaandtachypnoeawhendiscussingyourdog’sbreathing.Dyspnoeaislabouredbreathingwhiletachypnoeaiswhentherateofbreathingisfasterthannormal.Someofthecausesofdyspnoeaandtachypnoeaindogsmayalsoresultinpanting.WhenshouldIcallmyvetifmydogwon'tstoppanting?Youshouldalwayscallyourvetifyou’reworriedaboutyourdog’shealth.Butbearinmindthatpantingisperfectlynormalindogswhohavebeenexercising,areexcitedorjustalittletoohot.Pantingcanbeconsideredabnormal,andapotentialemergency,ifitstartssuddenlyandfornoreason,won’tstop,isaccompaniedbyshakingorrestlessness,orinvolvesachangeinthecolourofyourdog’stongueorgumsfrompinktobluish,whiteorpurple.SharethissupportcentrearticleFacebookTwitterLinkedInGoogle+EmailAbouttheAuthorLauraisVetsNow’sprofessionalstandardsdirectorandisresponsiblefordrivingclinicalandprofessionalstandardsacrossourout-of-hoursclinics.AftergraduatinginveterinarymedicineandsurgeryfromtheUniversityofEdinburghin1999,sheworkedinsmallanimalpracticesuntil2007beforemovingintoemergencyandcriticalcare.Morerecently,LaurahasachievedanMScinadvancinghealthcarepractice.AbouttheArticleFirstPublished3rdJuly2018LastUpdated24thAugust2021DisclaimerVetsNowassumesnoliabilityforthecontentofthispage.Thisadviceisnotasubstituteforaproperconsultationwithavetandisonlyintendedasaguide.Pleasecontactyourlocalveterinarypracticeforadviceortreatmentimmediatelyifyouareworriedaboutyourpet’shealth—eveniftheyareclosed,theywillalwayshaveanout-of-hoursserviceavailable.Findoutmoreaboutwhattodoinanemergency.Worriedaboutyourpet?Videochatwithourvetsevendaysaweek,from8amto11pm.BooknowTaggedIndogsdogheatstrokesummerRelatedArticlesHavingyourdogputtosleep,whatyouneedtoknowabouteuthanasiaReadMoreCandogseatchocolate?AllyourdogandchocolatequestionsansweredReadMoreBloatindogs:Everythingyouneedtoknowaboutthelife-threateningconditionReadMorecloselocationreview-starsearcharrow/rightchevron/downneed-help/helpsocial/emailsocial/facebook-boxedsocial/facebooksocial/google-plussocial/instagramsocial/linkedinsocial/pinterestsocial/twitterMydogwon’tstoppanting,whatshouldIdo?Ifyourdogwon'tstoppanting,ispantingabnormallyorisheavypantingandshaking,itcouldbethefirstsignofsomethingmoreserious.