Why does my dog breathe so heavily and struggle to recover after exercise?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you have noticed a change in her breathing pattern and she appears to have labored breathing, I would recommend getting her in to be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Without a video, it is difficult to say for sure what the problem is. I hope this helps! Please let me know you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Noushi. If she only breathes hard like this after hard play, this is not a cause of concern. An increased respiratory rate or panting (open mouth breathing) is worrisome if it occurs while she is resting with no recent history of exercise. I hope this information helps!

A consult would be a good idea in this case. If the vet was referring to laryngeal paralysis, a consult will help you figure out if treating medically vs surgically is the best option. If your dog is having difficulty breathing, blue gums or tongue or collapse is noted, get her to the emergency hospital immediately.

I'm sorry to hear of your concerns with Grizzly. Labored breathing and coughing with exercise or excitement can be indicative of an underlying heart condition. Other possible causes for these symptoms include collapsing trachea and asthma. I would recommend that you have Grizzly examined by a veterinarian. They will perform a physical examination and may recommend chest x-rays to better determine the underlying cause for Grizzly symptoms.

The increased respiratory rate could be from him dissipating heat but it could also be pathological. I cannot tell you for sure just based on your description. I suggest you take a video of him breathing heavy at rest and then take him in to your vet for an examination. Show the vet the video and see what they think. The vet will take that video combined with their examination findings and let you know if it seems like his breathing is normal or abnormal. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I'm so sorry to hear that! Please get him in to see a vet. Your vet will probably recommend a chest X-ray to get a better idea of what is going on. In a 9 year old chihuahua some possible causes include heart failure, pneumonia, or cancer. If he seems labored in his breathing, do not delay, please take him to the vet right away.

Lola may just be worn out and over-tired from playing so hard with the other dog. One thing I would be concerned about is if she may have become over heated while playing. If you are able to take her temperature rectally it would be very helpful. Normal temp for a dog is 101.5. Anything over 103.5 would be concerning enough to take Lola to the vet. You can also monitoring her respiratory rate. Count the number of breaths she takes in 1 minute, anything over 60 would be concerning (unless she is panting). If her temperature and respiratory rate are normal then I would recommend monitoring her for the next 12-24 hours. If she is still acting abnormal after this time then I would suggest take her to the vet.