My senior dog is panting hard after being hit by a car. What to do?

I agree that this is a pretty rapid respiratory rate for Daisy, particularly if she's resting while breathing this quickly. As you mentioned, it's very possible that this fast breathing is due to post-operative pain. However, if she's currently receiving pain medication after surgery, it's a bit less likely. Other causes of rapid breathing can include stress or anxiety, blood clots in the lungs, heart disease, pneumonia, among others. Regardless, it would be best to take Daisy to the vet urgently for evaluation. If the vet suspects pain as the cause, they will be able to prescribe additional pain medications. Otherwise, they will be able to perform any necessary diagnostic testing, which may include chest x-rays or blood clotting times to try to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope that everything goes well for Daisy!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Onyx. I would recommend bloodwork to look for any underlying disease that can cause panting. Cushing's disease for example, is an adrenal gland disorder that will cause the dog to pant excessively. In middle age to older patients panting can also be the result of canine cognitive dysfunction. This is a disorder somewhat similar to Alzheimer's disease in people. There is no specific test for this, it is determined by your veterinarian asking you questions. Finally, anxiety can result in panting. There are anti-anxiety medications available help if this is the case. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Being hit by a car is very concerning as most of the time there is more damage than what can be seen from the outside. If he is not walking well and his breathing is abnormal, I highly recommend you consider having him reevaluated by a veterinarian since he has not improved. They may take chest x rays to check on why he is breathing loudly such as a pulmonary contusion for example. Treatment would be dependent on findings though at least pain control medications can be started. I hope he does well. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there. Breathing hard or panting at rest can be due to a number of different things. Some common possibilities in an older dog would include hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease, liver problems, or heart disease. It's also possible that he's simply hot, or that he is somewhat painful or uncomfortable due to his arthritis. I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam when you are able to. Your veterinarian can do blood work to check for these problems and get him started on appropriate treatment if any abnormalities are found.

It is possible that he has an underlying heart condition if his breathing continues for consecutive days in a row at this rate. I would recommend alerting his owners of this abnormal breathing so that they are informed. They may have already witnessed this themselves or may even be aware of a condition he has already. However, you are right to inquire about this, because breathing rates <30 breaths per minute while in a deep sleep are considered abnormal and the #1 cause of this is an underlying heart condition and potentially heart failure. Best of luck with Cody and informing the owners of your concerns for his overall health and well-being.

I am so sorry that Dylan is having a hard time. You are right to be worried. At his age, I would be worried about heart failure or cancer potentially making his breathing abnormal and causing him to be restless. Pneumonia is another concern. Unfortunately there isn’t anything you can do at home to help him breathe better. You need to get him in to see a vet right away. Seek a veterinary ER now. If you don’t have an ER in your area, call your regular vet—they likely have a recording for how to reach a vet after hours.

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.