Gus spent twenty minutes searching for his ball on our walk today. He successfully found it each time, but all that running around searching made him pant for a while.
All dogs pant. It’s normal. It’s the way they cool themselves down when they’re hot and after exertion.
Dogs don’t have sweat glands, except for a few on their pads, so they can’t sweat like we do (or glow, if you’re a lady). Panting is their only effective way to cool themselves down.
Some breeds, especially the flat nosed breeds, will pant more than others due to the in-bred restrictions on their airways.
Normally dogs take around 20-30 breaths per minute, but when they pant the rate can be up to 300 or even 400 breaths per minute.
You’d think panting like that would take loads of energy for them – it would for us – but the elasticity of their doggy airways and lungs means it’s fairly effortless for them.
But if your pooch pants more heavily than usual, or it seems to be a big effort for him to pant, there could be something wrong.
As we come into the better weather, you need to watch out for heatstroke, especially if it suddenly goes warmer after a cold spell – dogs take a few days to acclimatise to changes in temperature.
Heat stroke occurs when your dog’s body temperature reaches dangerous levels. (A dogs’ normal body temperature is 38oC.)
Signs of heatstroke include drooling, reddened gums, vomiting, diarrhoea, mental dullness or loss of consciousness, uncoordinated movement, and collapse. It can occur quite suddenly.
Older or overweight dogs and flat-nosed breeds are particularly prone to heat exhaustion.
When it’s a pleasant 22oC outside, the temperature in a car can reach 47oC within an hour. Never leave your pet in a car on a hot day, even in the shade and with the windows open.
Heatstroke is an emergency. Your dog could suffer brain damage or even die within 15 minutes. Ring your vet immediately. Cool your dog down with towels soaked in lukewarm (not cold) water and open the car windows to create a breeze on your way to your vet.
Other causes of abnormal panting include:
– heart and lung diseases
– Cushings disease (too much cortisol)
– anaemia
– laryngeal problems
– allergies
– some medications, such as prednisolone
If you think your dog’s panting might be due to an illness, seek advice from your vet.
Dogs will also pant excessively when they are anxious, fearful or stressed. Remove your dog from the situation as quickly as possible and allow them to calm down in a quiet, familiar environment. Then seek my help in how to deal with it in future!
Keep training,
Carol