Why is my elderly dog panting so much?

Have you noticed your elderly dog is panting a lot? This may be more noticeable at night or when simply resting during the day, and it can be hard to know if it's a cause for concern. 

There are some normal reasons elderly dogs pant a lot, but there are other causes like pain, cognitive decline or medical issues that can make your dog start panting heavily.

This guide will look at the reasons elderly dogs pant a lot and give you the confidence to know when to be concerned enough to seek vet help. 

Is it normal for elderly dogs to pant more? 

Yes, it can be normal for elderly dogs to pant more. Ageing leads to reduced cardiovascular efficiency, lung capacity and ability to thermoregulate. These factors all affect a dog's need to pant more than they used to. 

The key is to know when old age changes move into being a health concern. A dog who cannot return to a normal breathing pattern within 15 minutes of exercising, or a dog who has a resting breathing rate of over 60 breaths per minute needs veterinary care.  

Common benign causes of panting in older dogs

Not all causes of panting are something to worry about, in fact there are plenty of reasons your older dog may be panting a bit more than usual. Let's look at some of the more common ones.

Heat 

Just like us, dogs can get a bit hot at times especially in summer. The main way that dogs cool down is through panting. With their thick warm coats, dogs can quite easily heat up faster than we would. 

To ensure your older dog keeps cool, provide extra water, shady spots to rest during the peak warmer hours (10am-2pm) and cool mats to lie on. Read our 10 tips to cool down your dog this summer. 

Exercise 

Panting after exercise is a normal physiological process. When a dog exercises, their body warms up. During rest, to bring their temperature back down to normal, panting is used alongside sweating. 

Panting that does not reduce within fifteen minutes after exercise or gets worse with time is concerning. Contact your vet for advice - they may suggest monitoring at home, or a trip to the vet for a check up. 

Medication side effects 

The use of medications such as steroids, can be what causes excessive panting in dogs. If you notice your dog is panting heavily after starting medications, call your veterinarian. It's important to not stop medications (especially steroids such as prednisolone) without veterinary guidance. 

Excitement/stress 

Whilst a dog cannot talk, they are very good at using body language to communicate how they feel. Panting, lip licking and yawning can all suggest stress- common when travelling, in a new environment or in stressful situations such as thunderstorms. Read how to keep your pet calm during a storm. 

Panting, pacing or barking can show excitement. For example when you pick up the lead, your dog anticipates going for a walk and feels a rush of excitement. 

Medical causes of excessive panting in senior dogs 

If your senior dog is breathing heavily, there are medical reasons to be aware of as a pet owner. The sooner you seek vet care in the situations below, the faster your elderly friend can get the help they need. 

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Pain 

Panting can be a subtle clue your dog is in pain, particularly an older dog panting at night. A dog in pain has a stress hormone spike, and this leads to panting. Read more about how to know if your dog is in pain. 

There are many causes of pain in dogs such as osteoarthritis, gastrointestinal pain, or dental disease. Contrary to popular belief, dogs will not vocalise or whine when in pain, especially if the pain is long term.

Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism) 

This is a condition that is very common in older dogs of both sexes. Signs of Cushing's include panting more, increased appetite, thirst and urination. When the condition is advanced, a dog's belly can become rounded in appearance and they may have hair loss. 

Cushing's is a treatable condition that has an excellent long term prognosis once diagnosed by your vet. 

Heart disease 

Heart disease can be a serious cause of elderly dog panting. A complication of heart disease is a build up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) that makes it difficult for your dog to breathe properly.

Other signs of heart disease include reduced ability to exercise, coughing and sleeping more. If your dog's breathing rate is more than 60 breaths a minute (especially if resting or sleeping) it's considered a medical emergency. 

Respiratory conditions

Elderly dog panting may be related to respiratory conditions. Respiratory conditions affecting elderly dogs include chronic bronchitis, tracheal collapse or laryngeal paralysis. 

Panting may be accompanied by coughing, or a ‘honking’ sound, wheezing or snorting.

A vet will be able to create a long term treatment plan for most respiratory conditions to help improve your dog's panting. 

Fever or infection 

An increase in temperature- often caused by inflammation or infection can create a need to pant heavily. The fever or infection raises a elderly dog's core temperature, making them feel hot. This triggers the body's natural response to self cool through panting. Treating the infection or inflammation will cure the heavy panting. 

If your elderly dog is panting heavily alongside pale or blue tinged gums, collapse or extreme distress- this is an emergency. Contact your vet or out of hours service immediately. 

Why is my elderly dog panting at night? 

Many pet owners worry about an old dog panting at night, and rightly so. 

An elderly dog who is panting and restless at night can be suffering from conditions such as osteoarthritic pain or  cognitive decline. 

At home solutions include using orthopaedic bedding to support old joints and keeping the sleep area cool and dark. Let your dog out to the toilet as late as possible before settling down to sleep for the night, and keep sleep routines consistent.  

If your elderly dog is panting and restless at night, you may want to seek veterinary help to rule out pain as the reason for their nighttime restlessness. 

How to tell if your dog is panting from pain 

A senior dog breathing heavily could be in pain, but how do we know? Look for other signs such as:

• Struggling to get up off the floor or bed
• Licking at joints
• Behaviour changes such as snapping when being groomed or stroked
• Limping or altered movement
• Reluctance to go for walks, or sitting down on walks 

When to take your elderly dog to the vet for panting 

There are  some signs that require immediate vet care.

An elderly dog panting heavily in combination with pale or grey gums is a medical emergency. If our dog collapses, or is vomiting frequently alongside excessive panting you need to go straight to the vet clinic. 

Urgent, but not life threatening symptoms such as:

• Panting that is getting slowly worse with time
• Panting and unsettled at night
• Panting after starting a new medication
• Panting with changes in appetite, thirst or urination 

These signs are important to investigate but not life threatening. You should book a vet check up at your earliest convenience.

If you are ever unsure, call your vet. All practices will offer telephone triage and can help you decide whether to come in urgently or monitor at home.

Summary 

There are many reasons for excessive panting in elderly dogs. We can separate these into medical reasons that need veterinary care, and non medical reasons such as excitement or stress. Your veterinary team is just a phone call away if you need help or are unsure about your elderly dog panting a lot. Many medical causes of excessive panting can be treated, allowing your dog to be more comfortable in their old age.