What this means
First, note down when it happens. Panting after exercise or in the heat is not surprising. Panting while your dog is resting, in a cool room, at night or for no obvious reason is different, especially if it is new.
Pay attention to the character of the panting: is it deep, slow panting with an open mouth, or fast and shallow? It is also worth counting the breaths over a set time while your dog sleeps calmly and showing the figure to your vet, because the breathing rate at rest is useful information.
Other changes can go with the panting: drinking more, urinating more, pacing, refusing to lie down, losing appetite. Write all of it down. Pain or anxiety can cause panting too, so your vet will first want to rule out pain or other causes.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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Overheating
In the heat or a closed room your dog pants harder, drools, and the gums look redder. This can quickly become dangerous.
About the condition: Overheating (heat stroke) -
Pain
A dog in pain may pant at rest, seem restless, lie in an odd way or avoid moving.
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Anxiety and stress
A storm, fireworks, being left alone or a new place bring on panting, trembling and restless behaviour.
About the condition: Anxiety -
Problems with the heart
When the heart has to work harder, a dog may pant at rest or at night, tire sooner and refuse to lie on its side.
About the condition: Heart disease -
A hormonal illness
Some hormonal illnesses cause constant panting together with greater thirst, a bigger appetite and a rounded belly.
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Excess weight
Extra weight makes breathing harder, and a dog pants more easily even after light exercise.
About the condition: Obesity
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- When it happens: after exercise, at night, lying calmly
- Whether breathing is fast and shallow, or deep
- Whether your dog drinks and urinates more
- Whether it is restless, will not lie down or avoids moving
- Whether appetite or weight has changed
- Whether the gum colour looks normal
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your dog pants at rest for more than a few days, if the panting is new or getting worse, or if thirst, appetite or behaviour have also changed.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Heart disease Heart This is an umbrella term for various conditions in which the heart muscle, the valves or the heart rhythm stop working as well, making it harder for the heart to pump blood around the body. Some are present from birth, others develop with age, and they can go a long time without any noticeable signs. During a check-up the vet listens to the heart and decides whether further tests are needed.
- Overheating (heat stroke) General health Overheating is a condition in which a dog's body temperature rises to a dangerous level because it can no longer cool itself down. Dogs barely sweat and cool themselves by panting, so heat in a closed car or exercise on a hot or humid day can overwhelm them quickly. Heat stroke damages the internal organs and is life-threatening, so the dog needs a vet immediately.
- Cushing's disease Hormones and metabolism Cushing's disease is a condition in which the body makes too much of a stress hormone. This hormone affects many of the body's processes, so an excess gradually changes a dog's appetite, skin, coat and muscles. The changes come on slowly, so they are easy to mistake for simple ageing.
- Anxiety General health Anxiety is a state in which a dog feels tension and fear constantly or far too strongly, even when there is no real danger. It can be set off by being left alone, loud noises, new surroundings or strangers, and long-lasting anxiety wears down both the dog and the whole household. It helps to understand that this behaviour is not stubbornness or disobedience but a sign that the dog is struggling.
Body systems: Heart General health Hormones and metabolism