Why Is My Dog Panting So Much? Here's why your adorable pup is panting more than usual - explained by a celebrity vet 🐶

All dogs pant, but it can be a concern when they do it more than usual.

There's usually nothing to worry about if your dog is panting.

Dog ownership is at an all-time high at the moment, with surging Kennel Club registrations and one-in-three households now including a four-legged friend.

That means there are a huge number of first-time dog owners out there who are paying close attention to their pup’s behaviour.

One thing that can be alarming is when your dog starts to pant exessively – sometimes even when they’ve not been exercising.

To help out, Peter Wright, Harringtons Advanced Science Diet Vet and the star of The Yorkshire Vet, has shared his expertise on the subject.

It’s only natural

Like shaking, panting is often a natural phenomenon in dogs. They can pant when excited or stressed; very importantly when they are too hot, they pant to cool down. Dogs can only sweat through their foot pads, with no sweat glands throughout the rest of the body.

Keep hydrated

When a dog is panting, they’re expelling water vapour from their lungs - allowing hot, wet air to be expelled from the body to cool themselves down. After vigorous exercise or in periods of heat stress, dogs’ body temperatures rise, leading to excessive panting. When this happens, they can become dehydrated, so ensure they always have access to plenty of fresh water.

When to see the vet

With younger and adult dogs, you may notice your pet panting when in cooler conditions or without exercise. This is usually due to pain or illness. You can determine the cause with a visit to the vet.

Age is a factor

Senior dogs may develop arthritis, and because this comes on gradually, an owner may not be aware of it until a veterinary consultant looks at them, where they can prescribe medicine and offer vet approved dog food to support joints. Before it is noticed, it can cause discomfort for a pet, leading to panting.