Rex pants like a steam engine after a run. Normal. Then one winter night he was panting on the couch while we watched TV. Took him to the vet. He'd hurt his back jumping off the couch. Pain panting is real.
What's actually causing it
The 7 most common causes.
-
Cooling down (the obvious one)
Dogs don't sweat through their skin. Panting evaporates moisture from the tongue and lungs to lower body temperature. Normal after exercise or in heat.
-
Stress or anxiety
Vet visits, thunderstorms, fireworks, car rides. Stress activates the same physiological response as heat — heart races, breathing speeds up.
-
Pain
Hidden pain often shows as panting at rest. Hip pain, back pain, abdominal pain. If your dog pants when they shouldn't and you can't figure out why, suspect pain.
-
Heart or lung disease
In older dogs, panting at rest can signal congestive heart failure or lung issues. The body works harder to oxygenate.
-
Cushing's disease
Excess cortisol production. Symptoms include increased thirst, urination, hunger, AND panting. Common in older dogs.
-
Brachycephalic breeds
Bulldogs, Pugs, Frenchies, Boxers — their short airways make breathing harder, so panting is more frequent baseline. Heat is especially dangerous for them.
-
Medications
Steroids (prednisone) and some sedatives cause panting as a side effect. Tell your vet what they're on.
Red flags
When to actually worry.
- ·Panting at rest in a cool room, with no recent activity
- ·Panting with blue or gray gums (oxygen problem — emergency)
- ·Panting paired with weakness, collapse, or rapid heart rate
- ·Excessive panting in a brachycephalic breed during heat — heatstroke risk
- ·Sudden panting after possible toxin exposure
Practical steps
What to actually do.
-
Always check the temperature first. Cool environment + still panting = not heat.
-
Look for pain signals: stiff movement, reluctance to jump, hunched posture, sensitivity to touch.
-
For anxiety panting, the [pit bull car anxiety protocol](/blog/pit-bull-car-anxiety/) techniques work.
-
If panting at rest persists for more than 20 minutes with no clear cause, call your vet the same day.
-
Brachycephalic breeds: never exercise in temperatures above 80°F. Use cooling mats and short walks only in summer.
Sunday letter
One honest review. Every Sunday.
Plus the occasional photo of Rex destroying something he wasn't supposed to. About 400 words. Skip a week and I'll understand.
Keep reading