There’s nothing cuter than dogs frolicking out in the great wide open, running at full speed with their tongues hanging out in what looks like an ear-to-ear grin. And while we love and expect dogs to pant while they are running around, you may be wondering why your dog seems to be panting at other random times.
Read on to learn all about why dogs pant and when to be concerned.
What is panting?
Panting is a breathing technique that dogs typically use to cool off. A panting dog will have their mouth open, usually with their tongue hanging out, and will be taking frequent, shallow breaths. This is done to quickly move air over the moist surfaces of their respiratory tract, which allows them to cool down.
Panting is the only mechanism dogs have to cool off since they do not sweat like we do. This is why you will often see your dog panting if it is hot out and/or if they are exercising.
Why do dogs pant?
The main reason that dogs pant is to cool off; however, sometimes dogs will also pant for reasons that are unrelated to cooling down. The main reasons dogs will pant include:
Cooling off
Panting is the main way that dogs can cool off so they will often pant as soon as their body temperature starts to climb.
Exertion
Physical exercise of any kind, including running, climbing stairs, and wrestling with other dogs can lead dogs to exert themselves. As they exercise, their body temperature rises, and they exert more energy, so they pant to cool down.
Behavioral reasons
Dogs will also pant in certain emotional situations such as when they are excited, stressed, scared, or nervous. In these cases, they do not actually need to cool off, but this is more of a psychological reaction and may be accompanied by an elevated heart rate and respiratory rate.
Pain
Dogs often pant when they are in pain. This is partially a behavioral response. Pain can also cause physical changes like an elevated heart rate and respiratory rate, which in turn can lead dogs to pant.
Illness
Certain disease processes can also make dogs more likely to pant. This includes any condition where a dog has a fever, as well as conditions that cause an increase in steroid hormones, such as Cushing’s disease.
Medications
Certain medications, including sedatives, steroids, and pain medications, can cause dogs to pant as well.
Respiratory distress
Dogs who are having difficulty breathing may pant or breathe with their mouths open; however, this is not always the case. Other signs of a breathing problem include loud breath noises, rapid breathing, bluish gums and tongue, and/or increased effort to take a breath. Any of these signs are considered medical emergencies.
How much panting is abnormal?
It can be difficult to judge how much panting is abnormal in many cases, because this can differ from one dog to the next. Because panting has a very important purpose for dogs, as long as they are panting at appropriate times, and without any other signs of breathing difficulty or other health problems, it can be normal. This is especially true if they are panting for an obvious reason, such as on a hot day or after exercise.
As long as they stop panting after a reasonable amount of time and are able to settle down, that is most likely a normal response. But it is also important to take heavy panting as a sign that your dog is exerting themself to the max; if you are out for a walk on a hot day, and they are panting hard, that is a sign that they are getting too hot and need to get to a cool spot to rest and have some water.
The same goes for exercise; if your dog is panting heavily and can’t catch their breath, they need a break. If you provide them with rest, a cool place to rest and some water and they still continue to pant heavily, this can be a sign of overheating, and you should get to a vet right away.
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