Panting Excessively

Let's talk about excessive panting. First, see your vet, because panting is a pain signal as often as it is a heat signal. Cushing's disease, heart failure, anxiety, and even nausea can all show up as heavy panting.

Step one: rule out heatstroke if the gums are bright red and the dog is drooling. Your dog's going to simply die in a hot car. Cool the dog with cool water on the paws and belly, and go to the vet now.

Step two: if it is behavioral, count the stressors — visitors, thunder, separation. Step three: structured exercise and a place command in the room where the dog paces. Step four: ask your vet about a short pain trial.

Many dogs whose panting stops on carprofen were suffering in silence the whole time. Now, the deeper fix: heavy panting in a calm room is a vet conversation, not a training conversation. Find the pain or the disease first.

Now here's Steve's notes.