Posted by Dogs do panting all the time. It could be for a variety of reasons. But if you notice your dog panting at night and breathing heavily, it could be detrimental to its health. Mostly the dogs do panting when they are happy, excited, or energetic. It is quite normal. But the heavy panting indicates anxiety or any chronic health disorder.
Find out why your dog is panting at night and what you can do about it.
Dog Panting in Normal Conditions
We often see our dog panting. The lolling tongue and drooling mouth is a common habit of your canine friend. Some of the conditions when panting in dogs is normal are listed below:
Cool down the Body Temperature
Naturally, dogs do not have a sweating mechanism. They only sweat on their paws. Dogs lack skin, and their body is also covered with fur and hairs, making sweating almost impossible.
The wet tongue increases the evaporation and causes a cooling effect. This allows the body to cool down and come to normal temperature. So, panting is the most efficient way to cool down their body temperature.
A dog’s panting rate is usually 2-4 breaths per second. If your dog is panting heavily after a playful activity, always give them water to drink; otherwise, heavy panting can cause dehydration and other breathing problems.
Stress and Anxiety
Many people know that dogs pant when they are hot, but did you know that they also do so when stressed? When dogs are stressed, they will pant to calm themselves down. It is also more than just a sign of stress. Dogs can pant when they are scared and trying to cool themselves down.
In general, dogs pant when they are under a lot of stress. It is a fight or flight response. It helps increase the blood flow to the muscles in the body, which can help them run faster for a short period. They can also show this type of heavy panting in response to fear from any situation they want to avoid, like fireworks and storms.
The other reason for the stress may be a new environment or new home. If your vet does not find any apparent cause of panting at night, then stress due to a new home may be a reason for this abnormal panting. Dogs are attached to their surroundings, and they take time to adapt to new places and people. To overcome this situation, spend some time with your canine partner or take him on long walks.
So, if your notice your dog panting at night, then stress may be the cause resulting from such conditions.
Genetic Causes
Panting is a sign of an overheated dog. There are several reasons why a dog might pant. The most common is heat exhaustion, which is often related to a dog being overweight or having a short coat.
There are also many genetic causes of panting. A dog may be a brachycephalic dog, which means they have a sharp nose like the French Bull dog, Pug, and Boxer. These dog breeds have short noses that make breathing troublesome. Their nostrils are close together, so a small amount of air is inhaled, leading to heavy breathing and abnormal panting.
Dreaming
Your dog may be panting at night due to an excited or stressful dream. The dogs also dream about their life activities as we do. If you observe your dog whining and panting at night then your four-legged friend might be chasing a rat or a butterfly in the dream, which caused him to do heavy panting.
Or your dog may be stressed due to a dark and fearful dream. To make sure that the panting is normal, you will have to monitor your dog at night while he is asleep.
Abnormal and Excessive Dog Panting At Night
Panting is a perfectly normal activity for a dog. It helps them cool down and is even a sign of playfulness. But what about panting at night? Panting at night can be a sign of illness, but it can also be a sign of excitement or fear.
Dog panting at night may be due to various reasons. You need to take this issue seriously and observe your furry friend’s activities keenly. Some reasons for excessive panting at night are as follows:
Heart Problem
Heavy panting at night may be due to heart problems or any respiratory disorder. This type of unusual painting indicates a defective heart. A weakened heart faces difficulties pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. The dog breathes heavily to fulfill the body’s oxygen needs, which eventually heats the body. A dog pants heavily and abnormally at night to cool down this heated body.
Allergic Reaction
Dogs pant for different reasons. It can be because he is hot or tired, but sometimes your dog may be panting because of an allergic reaction to something he ate, like grass or any new medication that has caused an allergic reaction. This medicine or a new food product can initiate an allergic response that indicates that the body is not accepting the product.
The other reason for this allergy may be anything around your dog’s bed that is causing the allergy. This situation can obstruct the air passageway and results in heavy breathing and excessive panting at night.
Pain
Arthritis affects millions of dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds. In contrast, most dogs will experience some discomfort during their lives. Older dogs are most likely to develop arthritis. It can affect any of the joints in the body, but the most common places are the joints of the elbows, hocks (hind legs), shoulders, and hips.
Dogs of any age can develop arthritis, but the most common age of onset is between 10 and 14 years of age. The dogs usually do not express their pain but hide their pain. When the situation worsens, the dogs pant when resting, usually at night. So, this abnormal painting can indicate a painful condition in dogs.
Obesity
If the dog is panting at night but not throughout the day, it might mean that he is overweight or obese. The more weight he has to carry around, the more energy he will use. The fat dog also faces difficulty breathing fresh air and can also do excessive panting in this struggle.
Even if the dog has no known issues, obesity is a big risk factor for other health issues. If your canine friend is gaining weight that can lead to obesity, you should talk to your vet and get some advice to maintain your dog’s good health.
Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal imbalance is a common cause of panting at night. Dogs are just like humans, and they have hormones that decide how they feel. When they are in heat or a stressful situation, their hormones are out of balance. They will breathe faster, have no appetite, lose interest in their toys, and even show aggression. This hormone imbalance can cause heavy panting in dogs.
If you see your female dog panting at night, it might be due to any hormonal imbalance after she gave birth to the puppies. This panting behavior in your female dog after giving birth indicates that she might be suffering from fever and panting in response to cool down her body or fulfill her body’s oxygen needs. This situation is alarming, and you should talk to your vet about this condition.
Respiratory Disorder
Respiratory disorders can be a serious health problem for your dog, and there are several different reasons why your dog may be having trouble breathing. The respiratory disorder can induce heavy panting in dogs at night.
On top of these disorders is Pneumonia, which causes a lot of other breathing abnormalities like coughing, infection, and inflammation in the lungs. Like humans, dogs can also suffer from various respiratory issues like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
How To Cure Dog Panting At Night?
To help your dog fight this abnormal panting, you can relax your dog before sleeping at night. For this purpose, you can follow the following tips:
- Give them a gentle massage to comfort them if they are stressed out
- Spend time with them in a playful activity
- Take them on long walks
When to See a Vet?
We all love our pets, but not everyone knows when it’s time to call the veterinarian. Dog panting at night can be just a symptom of something harmless, but it can also be the first warning sign of some serious health issue.
If your dog is panting during the night, it can be just due to some changes in the weather or because it’s hot. However, if you notice that your dog is panting even when it’s cool at night, there might be some underlying health issue. If you see some other weird symptoms with the dog’s panting, it’s time to call the vet.
FAQs:
Why Is My Dog Heavy Panting At Night?
Dogs do panting all the time. It could be for a variety of reasons. Mostly the dogs do panting when they are happy, excited, or energetic. It is quite normal. But if your dog is panting heavily at night, it could be detrimental to your dog’s health. This heavy panting indicates anxiety or any chronic health disorder.
How to Calm Dog Panting At Night?
For this purpose, you can follow the following tips:
- Give them a gentle massage to comfort them if they are stressed out or scared.
- In the day time, spend time with them in a playful activity
- Take them on long walks and express your love and affection for them before going to sleep.
Why Is My Female Dog Panting At Night?
If female dog is panting at night, it might be due to any hormonal imbalance after she gave birth your to the puppies. This panting behavior in your female dog after giving birth indicates that she might be suffering from fever and panting in response to cool down her body or fulfill body’s oxygen needs.