My 9-month husky wakes up panting heavily at night. Should I worry?

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If he is panting and coughing following excessive play only, then this is not a concern but a normal physiological response. However if the panting and coughing is continuous and not seen during these particular instances, and if it i has been going on for more than 3-4 days with no improvement, then he could have an upper respiratory infection which generally is easily treated with a short course of antibiotics. I would schedule a vet appt if that is the case. I hope that your fur baby turns out ok! Best wishes and take care.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I don;t think panting for a few seconds is considered heat stroke. Huskies are arctic breeds and are very susceptible to the heat. Keep him indoors during the hot, humid days. You could take his temperature if worried. Use a digital thermometer rectally. Normal temperature is 99-102. I would consider 104 or higher potentially heat stroke. I hope this helps! Good luck!

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.

If she's otherwise entirely normal (eating normally, drinking normally, good energy during the day, seems like herself behaviorally/mentally), I wouldn't be too concerned about this middle of the night behavior. Everything I can think of (seizures, neck pain, other pain, metabolic issues) would also cause issues during the day. That said, if she keeps it up for a week or more, a general vet appointment may be good to confirm nothing is going on.

Hello. If Bella's breathing appears normal when she sleeps, then this is not too concerning, but it would not hurt to have her evaluated just to be sure. She is too young for most chronic conditions, but if she is not on any heartworm preventative, this would be a good thing to check on. Hopefully all is well & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Panting per se by itself is not too concerning unless it is causing other respiratory signs like difficulty breathing, coughing or discomfort. If you notice any of those signs, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. Otherwise, his panting is probably normal. Best of luck!

If this is a new thing I would recommend taking her to the veterinarian. They can listen to her and they may want to perform x-rays to see if it is heart or lung related. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.