2025 Vet Guide: Why Do Dogs Pant? Understanding Normal vs. Problematic Panting 🐶💧

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

Panting is a normal and essential cooling mechanism for dogs, but it can also signal underlying issues. Learn to tell when panting is routine and when it needs veterinary investigation. 🛡️

🔍 1. Why Dogs Pant (Normal Reasons)

• Heat regulation: Dogs lack effective sweat glands, so they pant to evaporate moisture internally and cool down.
• Physical exertion: After exercise, panting helps raise oxygen intake—should ease within minutes.
• Excitement or happiness: Panting often accompanies joyful arousal, like greeting owners or playtime.
• Stress or anxiety: Fearful situations (thunderstorms, vet visits, car rides) commonly trigger panting.

⚠️ 2. When Panting Becomes Concerning

Watch for these warning signs—seek vet care if you observe:

• Panting in a calm, cool environment, without recent exertion.
• Heavy, labored breathing or extended panting at rest.
• Panting paired with signs like wheezing, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or collapse.
• Heatstroke indicators: bright/red gums, disorientation, drooling, rapid heartbeat.

🩺 3. Medical Causes of Excessive Panting

• Pain or discomfort: Often shows as panting plus guarding, limping, or sensitivity.
• Obesity: Extra weight stresses the body, leading to panting even at rest.
• Heart disease: Heart failure or heartworm can impair oxygenation, causing panting and coughing.
• Respiratory illness: Conditions like pneumonia, collapsed trachea, asthma, or bronchitis may present with panting and rapid breathing.
• Laryngeal paralysis: Noisy inhalation, exercise intolerance, and panting—common in older large breeds.
• Cushing’s disease: Elevated cortisol increases respirations; look for accompanying thirst, pot belly.
• Drugs: Steroids (prednisone) frequently cause increased panting.
• Heatstroke: Life-threatening overheating—the most urgent concern.

🧪 4. Diagnosing the Cause

• Full physical exam, including auscultation of lungs and heart.
• Bloodwork, including CBC, organ profiles, and thyroid/cortisol panels if endocrine disease is suspected.
• Chest X‑rays to evaluate lungs, heart size, and airway structure.
• Advanced airway exams (e.g., endoscopy for laryngeal or tracheal issues).
• Allergy or stress assessments, if non‑medical causes are suspected.

✅ 5. Supportive Care & Prevention

• Maintain a clean, indoor environment with cool air and shade—avoid hot pavement during danger hours.
• Ensure fresh water access and allow cool-down after exercise.
• Address pain, weight, or disease according to vet guidance.
• Use harnesses instead of collars for respiratory or airway-compromised dogs.
• Keep vaccinations up to date to prevent kennel cough.

📱 6. Tools to Monitor & Support

• Ask A Vet: Fast remote advice for breathing distress or panting concerns.
• Woopf: Logs for panting episodes, medication, water intake, and vet visits.
• Purrz: Track pant frequency, triggers (heat, stress), and improvement after interventions.

📚 FAQ

Q: My dog pants after a walk—normal?

Yes—as long as panting occurs during activity and stops with rest and cooling.

Q: When is panting heatstroke?

Look for frantic panting with drooling, red gums, vomiting, or collapse—treat as an emergency.

Q: My brachycephalic dog pants a lot—worry?

They already struggle to cool; monitor for noisy breathing, lethargy, or overheating, especially in summer.

💬 Pet-Owner Insight

> “After our senior pug started panting heavily inside, the vet identified early laryngeal paralysis. With weight management and a harness, his breathing improved.”

🏁 Final Thoughts from Dr Houston

Panting is a normal and essential way for dogs to stay cool—but when it’s excessive or unexplained, it's a signal to act. With careful monitoring, a systematic vet approach, and lifestyle modifications, most dogs can breathe with comfort and confidence. And with Ask A Vet, Woopf, and Purrz, you're empowered to respond—keeping your dog healthy and happy into 2025 and beyond. 💙

Download the Ask A Vet app for fast guidance on breathing concerns, tracking symptoms, and wellness planning. 📱

AskAVet.com – Supporting every breath your dog takes.