Why is my new stray dog panting excessively when it's cool?

Hello. It does look like the wound needs some stitches, but it also does not look too badly infected. There could be many reasons for the dog to pant rapidly, including lung infections & parasites, heartworm disease, or other infections in the body. Be careful with the paracetamol because too much can cause serious liver issues in dogs ( we are unable to dispense dosing advice ). If you can have him seen by a vet, this would be best, otherwise, keep him cool & hydrated & keep the wound as clean as you can. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Peanut's panting could be due to overheating, a respiratory infection, an allergic reaction, or pain. I'm not sure what the weather is like where you are, but try moving her to a cool area to see if that helps with the panting. If it doesn't, I would be concerned that she could be suffering from a respiratory infection, allergic reaction, or is in pain. Keep an eye on her, and if the panting continues overnight, take her into a vet in the morning. Should she go into respiratory distress, becomes very lethargic, and/or refuse to eat, rush her into an ER vet right away. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Happy! Good on you for checking her gums to make sure they look normal. Even though it's not hot outside, she could have worked herself up running around outside leading to her panting. Her drinking could be an effort to cool herself down. You can put a fan on her to see if that helps with the panting, and make sure she has plenty of access to fresh water at all times. Keep monitoring Happy, and if you do notice that her gums turn red or pale, she starts vomiting, becomes dizzy, shows weakness, has a bright red tongue, or the heavy panting continues over the next few hours despite trying to cool her down, I would have her seen by a vet right away. There is also a chance her panting could be due to a medical illness, such as cardiac disease, respiratory disease, or heartworms. Even if her panting stops, I would still have Happy seen by a vet tomorrow for a health check to be safe.

While panting is a way dogs expel heat, there could be something else going on with him that is making him pant heavily. Panting can be a sign of discomfort or pain. It also can be do to an underlying metabolic problem. I would recommend taking Trouble in to your vet for an exam to see if he needs blood work or potentially pain medication for discomfort.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear she may be having issues. Panting in dogs may be due to a variety of reasons, including stress, heat, heart issues, pain, or another underlying issue. If the panting continues, or if she starts to display other symptoms, such as vomiting or inappetence, I would reach out to her regular veterinarian to see if any underlying issues need to be addressed. I would also recommend reaching out to her owner to see if she has any known underlying medical conditions. Good luck!

I can understand your concern about Leona's increased panting. As you know, dogs can pant for a ton of different reasons. Some of these can include behavioral issues, such as anxiety, or medical problems, such as heart or lung diseases, heat stroke (unlikely in this case, I understand), or pain from an injury or arthritis. I'm glad that you've tried to actively cool Leona by using the air conditioner and by grooming her. Since it doesn't sound like that's changed her panting, I think it would be best to take her to the vet for a full physical exam. Your vet will be able to listen to her heart and lungs, and check her for sources of pain. It's really important to rule out any medical causes of this excessive panting, as some can be quite serious. If medical issues have been ruled out, your vet will be able to discuss possible causes and treatments of anxiety. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

It could be due to excessive heat that she is panting, but it could also be due to something else such as a heart condition or pain. Given your geographical location, I do not believe the excessive panting is due to hot weather. I would definitely recommend having Storm checked by a vet first.