What Causes Heavy Breathing in Dogs? Understanding Common and Serious Factors

There are many reasons why a dog might breathe heavily. While it can be a common occurrence in warm weather, there are other more serious conditions that could be indicated by increased breathing rates. It's scary when you realize, "my dog is breathing hard," but before you take your dog to the vet, evaluate his symptoms to try and decipher what his heavy breathing may mean.

Just like humans, animals are susceptible to the effects of stress and anxiety. If a dog is in a new home or environment or is surrounded by strangers, he may feel anxious and breathe more heavily than normal for the first couple weeks in the new place.

If you see your dog breathing heavy in a situation like this, he can be calmed by taking him out of the stressful situation and giving him extra love and affection. If anxiety is a regular occurrence or gets worse for your dog, his vet may recommend anxiety-reducing medication to help your canine feel better.

Heavy breathing from pain, infection

If your dog has suffered an injury, pain may be the cause of your dog breathing fast. Perform a body check of your dog to see if there are any cuts, wounds or sensitive areas that cause him pain.

You may also want to have your vet perform a heartworm check, since advanced heartworm infections can cause coughing and heavy, labored breathing.

Congestive heart failure or fevers

More serious ailments like fevers and congestive heart failure can also cause hard breathing in your dog and answer the question of "why does my dog breathe heavy?" If your dog is panting heavily while he is still, it's possible that he has a fever from a viral infection. You should take him to the vet if his body temperature is over 102 degrees.

Congestive heart failure occurs when there is not enough oxygen reaching the blood cells in your dog's body and fluid begins to build up in the lungs. The ailment can worsen over time and if you suspect your dog's heavy breathing is due to heart failure, take him to your vet for diagnosis and treatment.

While many things can cause a dog to have fast, heavy breathing, knowing the symptoms of possible ailments that cause a dog breathing heavy or a dog breathing fast can be life-saving and help your dog feel better. So contact your veterinarian for more answers if you find yourself wondering, "why is my dog breathing hard?"