5 Common Reasons Why Dogs Pant

Common Reasons for Panting

Your dog or puppy may be panting for one of these five reasons:

Heat & Heatstroke

Panting is a natural behavior observed in happy and active dogs. Unlike humans, dogs can't sweat, so panting serves as their primary means of regulating body temperature.

Panting enables a dog to quickly inhale, moisten, and then exhale air, promoting the evaporation of moisture from their nose and lungs. This internal cooling mechanism helps lower their body temperature.

During panting, dogs can lose a significant amount of water in a short time, making it essential to ensure your dog has access to ample fresh water on hot days.

Normal panting can be quite vigorous, but the intensity should correspond to the ambient temperature or the level of activity your dog is engaged in.

Overheating or heatstroke can lead to excessive panting in dogs, potentially resulting in dehydration and even death if left untreated. Immediate veterinary attention is necessary when dealing with heatstroke.

Dogs suffering from overheating will pant heavily and exhibit signs of discomfort. They may appear restless, lie down flat, or become unresponsive as their focus shifts towards cooling down.

To prevent heatstroke on hot summer days or during outdoor activities like hiking, take frequent breaks, seek shade, and provide your dog with sufficient water. Avoid exposing your dog to high temperatures or extended periods of heat, particularly if they have short snouts, as they are more susceptible to heatstroke.

Excitement

Dogs may also engage in panting when they experience excitement. Panting serves as a typical behavioral reaction to exciting events, such as encountering new individuals or receiving a treat. This form of panting tends to be swift and superficial, often accompanied by whining.

Stress

Dogs often pant and whine when stressed, much like when they're excited. Pay attention to their body language, such as wide, wary eyes or yawning, as these are common indicators of stress. Evaluate the situation and take steps to ease your dog's discomfort and prevent further stress.

Pain

It's crucial to understand that dog panting can be a sign of nausea, discomfort, or pain. To determine if your dog is panting due to pain, your veterinarian can perform a comprehensive examination and may recommend diagnostic tests.

Medicine

Some medications, particularly prednisone or other steroids, can lead to heightened panting in dogs, even in the absence of heat, excitement, or stress. This is a common side effect, so if your dog's panting becomes excessive, it's advisable to consult your veterinarian.

NEVER leave your dog in a hot car. The interior of a car can reach scorching temperatures and threaten your dog’s life in as little as 10-15 minutes, even on mild days. Run the air conditioner or leave your friend at home when running errands.

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If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately.

For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.

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Can Dogs Get Sunburn? Know The Risks of Sun on Your Dog’s Skin and Nose

Humans often take precautions to protect themselves from the sun, but should we be doing the same for our dogs?

Can dogs get sunburned?

The answer is yes. Just like people, dogs are just as prone to sunburn and to other complications and diseases associated with sun exposure. Taking certain safety measures can lower your dog’s risk of developing serious sun-related medical issues. This includes choosing a sunscreen that’s formulated for your pet.

Sun Risks

Sunburn isn’t just painful for dogs; it can lead to more serious problems like certain types of skin cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanomas, and hemangiomas. Sunburn also exacerbates certain conditions, such as autoimmune disorders and dermatitis, and can cause discomfort at surgery sites. Luckily, a little careful planning can prevent your dog from catching too many ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Predisposed Dogs

Some dogs are more at risk for sunburn than others. Hairless dog breeds, such as the Xoloitzcuintli, Chinese Crested, and American Hairless Terrier, need sun protection when they are outside for long periods of time. Dogs with white or thin coats and dogs with light-pigmented noses and eyelids are also more at risk for sunburn (such as Collies, Australian Sheepdogs, Dalmatians, Bulldogs, Whippets, and any dog with light or white pigment on their ears or near their nose). Even some dogs with thick coats of hair may experience hair loss from seasonal shedding or a health condition that may cause their coats to become very thin and may then be at greater risk for sunburn.

Does your dog just love to lie out on your patio and feel the sun’s warmth? Did you know: Dogs that lie outside on concrete or on light surfaces, especially those that lie on their backs, can suffer sunburn.

Sunscreen for Dogs

Sunscreen protects dogs from sunburn, but using the wrong type of sunscreen can also cause problems. It’s highly important that you only use formulas that are specifically intended for pets. They should not contain zinc oxide or para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), as these ingredients are toxic to dogs if ingested, and dogs will often lick their skin and accidentally ingest the sunscreen. The symptoms of zinc oxide poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a yellowing of the eyes, mouth and throat irritation, and potentially life-threatening anemia. Should your dog exhibit any of these symptoms, consult your veterinarian. It’s also a good idea to look for a waterproof harness or covering, with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30.

How to Apply Sunscreen to Dogs

So how do you get your dog-safe sunscreen on your wiggly pup? Carefully. First, test a small amount on one spot to be sure it doesn’t cause an allergic reaction. Next, be sure to put it on the spots most exposed to sunshine, such as the bridge of the nose, ear tips, skin around their lips, groin, and inner thighs – and anywhere else where pigmentation is light. When applying it to you dog’s head, be sure not to get any in their eyes. And once you apply the sunscreen, watch that your dog doesn’t lick it off for about 10 or 15 minutes – until it’s been absorbed.

You should apply sunscreen about 20 minutes before your dog goes out. And while they are out in the sun, reapply the sunscreen every four-to-six hours or after your dog goes swimming.

Sunscreen Alternatives

Rather than lathering sunscreen over your dog’s entire body, consider investing in protective clothing. Several companies make sun shirts or suits for dogs that cover large areas of their bodies, saving you the worry that your pup will lick any sunscreen off. Protective clothing will often have UPF protection of 40 and also protect against mosquitoes and other insect pests.

Hats and even goggles are also available to protect your pup when they are out in the sun. Alternatively, try to keep your dog out of direct sun during the hottest parts of the day, and provide plenty of shade while you are enjoying outdoor activities like swimming. All dogs, especially puppies and older dogs, are at risk of heat stroke, so it is very important to make sure they have access to lots of fresh drinking water at all times. Remember, you can always ask your veterinarian for advice on how best to protect your dog from harmful UV exposure. Finally, consider keeping your dogs in shade with free access to water. It sounds simple, but it usually works!

Treating Sunburn in Dogs

Any time sunburn is visible as reddened, warm, or flaking skin, you should move your dog inside or at least into the shade as quickly as possible. Cool compresses and ointments may soothe the skin to help relieve the initial symptoms. Aloe may help a minor burn. However, if the burn is severe, you should call your veterinarian because treatment with a cortisone product may be needed to prevent inflammation. There may also be a secondary infection requiring antibiotics. If these complications do occur, the dog will need to be well protected from the sun in the future to prevent permanent damage.

Although sunscreen is important, it can’t be counted on to be 100 percent effective. The best way to protect your dog from the sun is to keep them indoors or in the shade, except for quick elimination periods, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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When to Take Your Cat to the Animal Emergency Room

Some sure signs to bring your cat to the ER include:

• Difficulty breathing (like open-mouth breathing, panting, or a respiratory rate over fifty breaths/minute [Tip: count the number of breaths in fifteen seconds and multiple by four to get the total breaths per minute]).

• Hiding (under the bed, in the closet)

• Not moving

• Straining or making multiple trips to the litter box

• Excessive grooming “back there” with the penis sticking out (dangerous and is typically a feline urethral obstruction or urinary blockage)

• Lack of urine in the litter box for more than 36 hours

• Painful when picking up

• Profuse vomiting (more than 2-3 times in a night)

• Excessive drooling

• Sitting over the water bowl and not moving

• Seizuring or twitching

• Any kind of trauma

• Any kind of poisoning

• Any string hanging out of any orifice (Tip: please don’t pull! Leave all orifices to veterinary professionals).

While this list isn’t complete, it’s a good initial guideline.

If you want to be the financially savvy owner, it is best to go to your regular veterinarian before you end up with a more expensive emergency room visit. In other words, if you even have an inkling that something is wrong, better to go to your pet's veterinarian first rather than wait until Sunday night when your cat is really in dire straits (leading to a more expensive hospitalization).

When in doubt, call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic for counsel on whether to bring your cat in for an emergency visit. In fact, when in doubt, you can even go into the emergency room and potentially asked to be triaged to stabilize your pet's condition. Not all clinics will offer this, but it is worth asking. This is particularly important if you’re not sure if your cat has a urinary obstruction. Simply allow the emergency veterinarian to cop a feel of your cat’s bladder, and voila… if they don’t think your cat is blocked, they may “triage” you away to your family vet the next day.

When in doubt, it’s always safer to heed the side of caution. You won’t regret playing it too safe with your feline friend.

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Pet Poison Prevention: Kitchen Toxins

It’s amazing (yet scary) how many common food items in our kitchen are poisonous to our pets! Some of these food items, while safe to you, may cause serious problems if ingested by our dogs and cats. Here is the list of kitchen products that the veterinarians at Pet Poison Helpline recommend keeping away from pets.

Chocolate

Chocolate comes in many different forms, such as: white, dark, milk, semi-sweet, baker’s and cocoa powder. Each type of chocolate has a different toxicity level. Baker’s, cocoa, dark and semi-sweet chocolates are toxic in much smaller amounts than milk or white chocolate due to the greater concentration of theobromine and caffeine. A mild toxic dose of chocolate can cause agitation/hyperactivity, vomiting and diarrhea. Moderate toxicity can cause tachycardia (increased heart rate) and severe toxic levels can cause seizures. Chocolate stays in the stomach for several hours after ingestion, so symptoms may not show for up to 12 hours after ingestion. Chocolate stays in the system for a long period of time, so if symptoms occur, they can last potentially 72-96 hours.

Xylitol (common in sugar-free chewing gum)

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and is gaining popularity in sugar-free foods, oral care products, and dietary supplements. Common products that contain xylitol are gum, toothpaste, sugar-free candy, chewable vitamins, and melatonin supplements. It is also sold in bulk for baking. Although safe for humans, xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and liver failure in dogs that ingest toxic amounts. The symptoms can be very rapid, occurring within 30 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion. Common symptoms of xylitol poisoning include vomiting, weakness, lethargy, difficulty walking (ataxia) and seizures. Dogs are the most susceptible pet species to xylitol toxicity.

Grapes / raisins / currants

Grapes, raisins and toxic currants (Vitis species) can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. There is no known toxic dose for these fruits so any ingestion should be considered potentially toxic. Common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia (not eating), weakness, and decreased urine output. Symptoms show within 12-24 hours.

Caffeine

Caffeine poisoning, while not as common as chocolate poisoning, can occur with ingestion of products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, certain drugs such as migraine medications, and caffeine or diet pills. Caffeine poisoning can cause restlessness, hyperactivity, vomiting, panting, tachycardia (increased heart rate), weakness, diarrhea, and heart symptoms can occur 1-2 hours after ingestion and can last for 12-36 hours. Fatality is common when dogs ingest caffeine pills.

Fatty scraps

While it is tempting to feed your pet scraps from the table, fatty food scraps can cause stomach upset and is a risk for pancreatitis in pets. Pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed. Symptoms of pancreatitis include vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite (anorexia), lethargy, and diarrhea. Some dog breeds are more prone to pancreatitis such as miniature schnauzers, miniature poodles, and cocker spaniels. Older and overweight dogs can also be prone to pancreatitis, but with an ingestion of fatty foods, any dog can be susceptible.

Onions / garlic / chives / leeks / shallots

Ingestion of these foods in large enough quantities can cause oxidative hemolysis, which is defined as the destruction of the red blood cells, causing anemia. Common symptoms of toxicity can include but are not limited to: lethargy, pale mucous membranes, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, and increased breathing rate. The onset of symptoms can be anywhere from 24 hours after ingestion to several days. The symptoms can potentially last for 10-20 days. Dogs, cats, cattle and horses can be affected.

Macadamia nuts

Macadamia nuts are a common snack for people but can be toxic to dogs. Macadamia nuts contain up to 80% oil and 4% sugar which can increase the risk for pancreatitis (high fat). In toxic quantities, the nuts can also cause neurological signs such as weakness, ataxia (difficulty walking), tremors, hyperthermia (increased temperature), and joint stiffness. Symptoms of neurological poisoning can be witnessed within 3-6 hours and can last for 24-36 hours. Dog breeds more predisposed to pancreatitis (e.g., miniature schnauzers, miniature poodles, cocker spaniels, obese dogs, etc.) may be at higher risk but all dogs may be susceptible to pancreatitis.

Unbaked yeast bread dough

Any bread made with baker’s yeast can be toxic if the unbaked bread dough is ingested. When bread dough is rising, the yeast consumes sugars in the dough and in turn produces ethanol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide forms bubbles in the dough making it rise. Ingestion can cause ethanol (alcohol) toxicity as well as obstruction of the stomach, stomach bloat and/or stomach torsion. Common symptoms from ethanol toxicity include acting “drunk”, sedation, ataxia (difficulty walking), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hypothermia (low temperature), GI distress, respiratory depression, and coma. Bloat and stomach torsion are more common in deep-chested dog breeds such as the Great Dane, German Shepherd, Irish Setter, Gordon Setter, Weimaraner, Saint Bernard, Standard Poodle, and Bassett Hound, however, any breed of dog could be at risk. Common symptoms of bloat include abdominal distension, pawing, restlessness, and unproductive retching. Symptoms can occur one hour after ingestion but can be delayed. Symptoms can last 24-36 hours and surgical intervention may be needed to remove the dough.

Alcohol

Alcohol or ethanol toxicity can occur when an animal ingests alcoholic beverages, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, yeast bread dough, etc. Common symptoms from ethanol toxicity include acting “drunk”, sedation, ataxia (difficulty walking), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hypothermia (low temperature), GI distress, respiratory depression, and coma. Symptoms have a rapid onset, within 30 – 90 minutes, and can last 24-36 hours.

Table salt

Ingestion of salt can cause sodium poisoning (hypernatremia). Hypernatremia is an increase of sodium concentrations in the blood. Common symptoms of salt toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, polydipsia (increased drinking/thirst), ataxia (difficulty walking), tremors, and seizures. Symptoms can occur within 30 minutes to 4 hours. Animals can also be at risk for salt toxicity when they ingest homemade play-doh, salt ornaments, baking soda, de-icing products, and other salt-containing products.

Even with the best planning and intentions, our pets will occasionally be exposed to toxic substances in the kitchen. If you suspect your pet has had a toxic exposure call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately as time is of the essence. It is not always safe to induce vomiting or administer other home remedies. Seek counsel before taking action.

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