A healthy dog should not be breathing heavily without due cause. If you believe your pet is in immediate danger, please take it to the nearest emergency veterinary treatment facility so that they may diagnose it. Always remember it is better to be safe than sorry when dealing with a pet's life.
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Pain
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A dog in pain pants or breathes very heavily rather than making louder noises like barking or whining. Because dogs are predators by nature, making noise while limited by pain is a liability they can't afford, according to the Vet Info website. Heavy breathing helps canines deal with pain from an injury as small as a thorn in the paw or as severe as a broken bone or internal injury. If a dog is visibly hurting, avoid touching the animal. Even the most trusted companions may snap if the pain is too severe. Call your veterinarian for further assistance and suggestions on a case-by-case basis. Remember that if you are bitten, your pet is not doing it to attack you but only because it hurts.
Internal problems
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Internal problems run the gamut from temporary respiratory problems like kennel cough and preventable diseases like heartworm to the more serious COPD and congestive heart failure. Brachycephalic short-nosed breeds like English bulldogs and pugs often experience anatomically obstructed breathing and are subject to bouts of reverse sneezing in which they gasp for breath. Many of these dogs find relief from corrective surgery to the nostrils and soft palate. Internal problems are difficult to diagnose without veterinary supervision and diagnostic tests. If the dog has labored breathing, cannot or will not get up, shows no interest in daily habits such as eating, drinking or walks, or seems listless, take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Overexertion and heat exhaustion
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Overexertion can occur in any weather, cold or hot. Dogs require training much like human athletes do and must gear up slowly to more demanding exercise. Heat exhaustion and overheating are the most common forms of overexertion and can be lethal if not promptly treated. Start with some common sense: Avoid the hottest times of day for your walk with any dog and keep short-nosed dogs such as pugs inside whenever the temperature rises above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If a dog is simply panting heavily after a long, hot walk, check its gums and the insides of its ears. If the flesh is not an alarming shade of red, offer lukewarm water. Never give an overheated dog cold or iced water, as the shock to the system may cause vomiting. Lay cool, damp towels over the dog to reduce body heat. Keep the dog in a lying position. If the gums and ears are red or shocking pink, immediately saturate the dog's fur with cool (but not cold) water and report to your veterinarian as soon as possible. The dog may need IV fluids to survive.
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