Last Updated on March 14, 2023 by Dogs Vets
Why Does My Dog Breathe Heavy When I Pet Him
Meta: Panting can sometimes indicate a serious medical condition. Read our article to know “Why does my dog breathe heavy when I pet him?”
Introduction
Dogs with high energy levels sometimes go on a rampage that can’t be stopped! They can jump, run around, or run at full speed. Some large breeds are inherently energetic, so you’ll have to deal with this behavior for a long time.
The following article will answer your question, “Why does my dog breathe heavy when I pet him?”
Why Does My Dog Breathe Heavy When I Pet Him?
There are some causes of your pet breathing heavily when petting him, overtraining, overheating, painful or nervous feeling, and excitement included. Details are:
Exercise
Dogs who are content and active frequently take deep breaths. They cannot sweat as people do; therefore, it aids in their cooling.
Panting allows the dog to quickly inhale, moisten, then exhale air, increasing water evaporation from the dog’s nose and lungs. The body cools down from the inside out as a result of water evaporation.
Large amounts of water can evaporate quickly when the dog is panting, so always ensure your dog is well-hydrated, especially on hot summer days, because panting will dry its mouth.
Whether a dog’s panting looks heavy depends on how hot the sun is, the humidity of the air, or whether the dog has exercised more or less.
Pain
Your dog’s panting could also be because they are sickened, upset, or in pain. Take him to the vet immediately if you suspect he’s suffering from any of the above signs.
Here, the doctor will thoroughly examine or perform tests if necessary to give the most accurate diagnostic results. The following are the most common conditions your dog may have.
Excitement
Breathing heavily also shows that dogs are excited. When something exciting occurs, like meeting new people or eating a good meal, panting is a common behavioral reaction. This kind of panting frequently comes with a sigh and might be rapid and shallow.
Nervousness
Similar to how dogs pant from excitement, dogs often pant and whine when they’re stressed.
Pay attention to your dog’s body language if you notice them panting. Are their eyes drowsy and worn out? Do they turn their heads aside and snore? These are a few typical physical indicators that your dog is stressed out.
At this time, you should play with them or reward your friend with a favorite treat or take him out for a gentle walk can help your dog be less stressed.
In general, based on the actual situation and understanding of your pet, you have a way to help him reduce stress and fear.
Overheating
Dogs sticking out their tongues and panting are mostly due to overexertion causing heat shock, especially in hot weather conditions.
Pets often suffer from heat stroke in the summer when the weather reaches 38-40 degrees and the temperature outside is much higher than in the room. Breathing heavily helps dogs cool down when they are hot or active.
What Can I Do To Help My Dog Feel Better?
In this situation, you should not panic but calm down first to treat your pet. Here are a few simple steps to help you fix the problem. However, if more serious symptoms appear, you should take your dog to a reputable veterinary clinic.
Step 1: Calm Down!
You’d better provide your four-leg friend with toys that give him psychological relief to calm a stressed dog.
For dogs that are nervous strangers surrounding them, give them a tasty treat. The most stressed dogs don’t like making new friends. If necessary, you can ask strangers to stay away.
Step 2: Provide A Calm Environment
Your dog may play with toys instead of running around the house or making mischief when there are many toys. Toys like gnawing bones are especially important to keep your dog from nibbling on things he’s not allowed to.
It would be best to use interactive toys with treats or foraging toys to help calm your dog.
Step 3: Keep Your Dog Healthy
Choosing the right dog food is a factor that is repeatedly linked to longevity across the range of species that are maintaining a healthy body weight. That means ensuring the dog isn’t overweight and managing his calorie intake carefully.
You should also pay attention to the dog to exercise more often. Exercise has many physiological and psychological benefits, both for our dogs. Physical activity can help manage a dog’s body weight and has also been linked to anti-aging effects in other genetically similar species.
Step 4: Find The Cause Of Your Dog’s Stress
When raising and caring for a dog, you should also pay attention to the dog’s regular checkups. Although they do not have any serious health problems, they should be checked regularly. This ensures it stays healthy and avoids any conditions or diseases before they become serious.
Conclusion
This article has answered, “Why Does My Dog Breathe Heavy When I Pet Him?”. Shortness of breath is normal for hyperactive dogs who often run and jump, especially in hot weather.
If you notice that your dog is breathing fast due to overexertion, heatstroke, or heatstroke, you need to cool down your dog by putting him in a cool, shady place and giving him plenty of water to drink. Besides, it would help if you also observed your dog more closely to get the right treatment.
Author:
Mitchell Mason is the founder of https://doggrowth.com/. He is a dog lover. He worked as a vetter in the past, then he make his blog to share his experience about dog caring and training with his community.
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