Scratchings-and-Sniffings

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Why Does My Dog Pant Like That? Posted: 18 Jun 2009 05:36 PM PDT I get a lot of questions about panting in dogs. Is it normal, can it mean he's sick, why does he pant in the first place? Those kind of questions. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense that some dog owners would find panting odd and a source of concern. After all, the normal respiratory rate for an adult dog is somewhere between 20 and 40 breaths per minute and with panting that can quickly soar up to ten times those rates.  In most dogs panting is a normal response to heat and, sometimes, fear and anxiety. Dogs don't sweat the way we do and they have to have some way to cool themselves. We have sweat glands over large parts of our bodies and the evaporative cooling of sweat helps keep us from overheating. If you live in a place like New Orleans, or St Louis for that matter you are well acquainted with the evaporative cooling effects of sweat. I sure needed it last night as I watched the Cardinals eek one out against the Tigers. Dogs are not that lucky. They have to rely on their respiratory tracts to do the job. They exchange large volumes of hot air for cooler air by panting and cool their core in the process. That's why you see them breathing with an open mouth, tongue lolling and sometimes dripping. Normal panting to dissipate heat is usually intermittent involving periodic panting followed by normal breathing, unless it's real hot. In that case you should look for some shade and chill out.   Fear and anxiety can cause panting too but that usually will end when the stimulus is removed. There are a number of disease conditions that can result in excessive panting. If your dog is panting excessively when it's not hot, he's not exercising or there is no reason for fear or anxiety, he may have a medical problem that needs attention.   Primary respiratory conditions affecting the lungs can lead to rapid breathing. Respiratory diseases can decrease the amount of functional lung tissue for oxygen exchange leading to rapid breathing. Heart disease can result in similar signs. If the diseased heart is not efficiently pumping blood through the lungs where it receives oxygen your dog will pant or increase his respiratory rate to compensate. If you are seeing coughing associated with panting or rapid breathing it may be due to heart problems or primary lung disease.   Any disease process that would cause anemia can result in panting, too. if there are not enough red blood cells moving through the cardiovascular and respiratory system there will not be enough oxygen available and your dog will increase his respiratory rate to compensate.   Most of the time panting is a normal response to heat or an unusual change in your dog's environment that may induce fear or anxiety, like another dog or an unexpected visit by his mother in law.  And then, of course, there are Pugs. They pant all the time unless they are sleeping. And when they are sleeping they are snoring.

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