Punctual and moderate panting in a dog is something natural, because panting is the main mechanism that the animal has to regulate its body temperature. If you have ever wondered why dogs pant, the answer must be found in their own body: their number of sweat glands is minimal (they are only present between the pads of the feet and in areas of sparse fur). Thus, when a dog’s body temperature rises, the rate of his breathing quickens to cool himself off.
However, when panting intensifies and lasts over time, it can be a symptom of heat stroke that puts the animal’s life at risk. In addition, there are other causes why a dog sticks its tongue out longer than normal. Do youWhy does my dog pant a lot?? At oneHOWTO we tell you the reasons for agitated breathing in dogs, so that you can take the necessary measures and take care of your pet’s health.
High temperatures
In midsummer, when the thermometers exceed 35 ºC, it is normal for your dog to pant. As we said, try to ‘cool down’ and lower your internal temperature. In these cases, it is important to monitor if the panting rhythm does not decrease even if the animal is in the shade and has fresh water within reach, because the risk of heat stroke exists, especially if your dog is lying down, drowsy and rejects Water.
If the above symptoms occur, your dog needs to veterinary care. That way, your vet can tell you exactly why your dog is panting a lot. In this sense, it is important to remember that also in winter a dog can pant a lot in a poorly ventilated interior space with high heating.
When the heat is excessive, a dog can become dehydrated. To identify this lack of water, we recommend this other article: How to know if my dog is dehydrated.
Fever
“My dog is panting a lot and shivering” is a frequently asked question to vets. The reason may be that the dog is passing through some kind of infectious disease which causes an increase in its body temperature, that is, your dog has a fever. For this reason, he presents a picture of abnormal panting and tremors. In this case, you should not wait to go to the vet.
Here we tell you how to know if my dog has a fever.
Poisoning
When someone goes to the vet saying “my dog is panting a lot and vomits”, poisoning will be one of the likely causes that the doctor shuffles. The reaction to the ingestion of toxic substances or from spoiled food, it can manifest itself in the form of excessive panting, general malaise and vomiting of the animal. In this sense, it should be remembered that our pet must be prevented from taking anything that he may find on the street during a walk, as it could be a danger.
Here you can learn more about How to know if my dog is poisoned.
Respiratory diseases
Pulmonary diseases are another possible cause to highlight, especially in elderly dogs. Sometimes, when a dog breathes as if it were snoring, it may be suffering from some type of pathology that influences the state of its respiratory tract, such as a cold, allergy, or pneumonia.
Regular reviews of the health of our pet, both when they are puppies and when they start to be older, are essential to prevent and treat this type of disease.
Fear and anxiety
Fear or stress are one of the most common causes of a dog panting a lot. A car trip, a visit to the vet, a storm, some fireworks, an encounter with another dominant dog or a cat … are just one example of stressful situations that can cause anxiety to your pet, being able to alter their normal breathing.
As a solution, you can only remove the animal from the stressful situation and try to calm it down. Discover How to calm a dog that is afraid by clicking on the link.
Overweight and obesity
Especially in older animals, it is very important to monitor the weight of our dog to take care of its health. In addition, excess pounds can cause breathing difficulties that trigger unusual panting. The animal you have to try harder than usual to walk or exercise. Also, excess body fat can put pressure on the lungs and heart, preventing them from functioning normally.
With a balanced diet and exercise, you can help your dog lose a few pounds. This way you will get him to gain in health and prevent him from panting a lot. If you do not know how to identify if your dog is overweight or not, we recommend this other article: How to know if my dog is fat.
Excessive activity
The exercise raises body temperature, both in people and animals. Although your dog loves to play, jump or run, keep in mind that too intense physical activity can be harmful for him, especially if you do it when the heat is pressing.
If your dog is panting a lot, looking for the shade and does not want to go after the ball you throw at him, the time has come to stop playing and / or exercising.
How to calm a dog’s panting
Now that you know why a dog panties a lot, you will have found that heavy panting is never a good thing. Therefore, you have to watch that it decreases progressively until the breath stabilizes. If the panting continues and is accompanied by other symptoms, such as vomiting, drowsiness or tremors, do not hesitate to go to the vet. If, on the contrary, the situation is not serious, there are some measures to calm a dog and get him to cool off:
- Do not take your pet for a walk in the middle of the day, when it is hotter.
- Never leave your dog in a car with the windows closed, much less in the sun (it will turn into an oven).
- Make sure your dog always has fresh water within reach. Hydration is essential to prevent a dog from panting heavily with the risk of heat stroke.
- Also check that your dog is in the shade at all times (be careful not to leave him tied to the sun).
- If your pet’s breathing is quickening from fear or stress, speak slowly, lovingly, and gently pat his head. Your gestures and your slow words are the best remedy.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why does my dog pant a lot?, we recommend that you enter our category of Pets.