Dog Panting? why and what to do?

Dogs pant when they are hot, but heavy dog panting means something is wrong with the dog. It can be due to overheating (heat exhaustion), or if your dog pants even while resting, it may mean that he has some underlying health problem, such as a heart problem. This page looks at the common causes of excessive heavy panting in dogs and what you can do to deal with the issue.

As we all know, dogs pant when they are hot because they do not have as many sweat glands as we do. (The only few sweat glands that they have are on the pads of their feet.) Instead of sweating bullets like humans do, dogs cool themselves by breathing and panting. Therefore, it is absolutely normal that dogs pant on a hot day, or after chasing the ball several times in the park.

Also, the brachycephalic breeds (dogs with a pushed-in face such as the pugs, bulldogs, Boston terriers, etc.) are prone to excessive dog panting because of their small nasal passages and short windpipes. They need to work harder (pant more heavily) for heat reduction.

My Dog is Always Thirsty

Maintaining hydration is an important aspect of your dog's instinct to survive and stay healthy. Since water accounts for more than 60 percent of a dog's body weight, and because breathing, salivating, defecating, and urinating are all responsible for significant losses of water from a dog's body, it stands to reason that dogs need to take in a good amount of fluid each day from what they eat and drink. This is accomplished by a number of intricate feedback mechanisms that directly control a dog's urinary output and thirst center. Most average-sized dogs (around twenty-five pounds) will consume at least sixteen ounces of fluid in a day, either directly or as part of their food. Warmer weather and increased exercise, however, will put greater demands on them and require greater fluid intake.

A little extra drinking and peeing is usually not much to be concerned about. If you are noticing steep increases in these two important functions, however, it is probably worth paying closer attention.

What to Look For

Start by measuring the amount of water your dog is actually drinking in a twenty-four hour period. An average healthy dog drinks about 1/2 to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day.

Causes of Excessive Thirst in Canines

Do you find yourself hearing the unmistakable flap of your dog's tongue in the toilet bowl far more often than ever before? Are there trails of perfect doggy drool everywhere, leading most notably, to the water dish? Are you unable to leave a glass of water on the table? You my friend have a dog with excessive thirst otherwise known as Canine Polydipsia. As annoying as a dog that just can't get enough water can be, this issue may not be behavioral, but medical. There are many causes of excessive thirst in dogs, some of which are serious.

First off, how much water is excessive for a dog?
The average dog needs 20-70 ml per pound of their body weight of water a day (example/ My 150 lb malamute requires 3,000 to 10,500 ml of water a day). To give you a rough idea of how much that is one cup equates to around 237 ml. (In my example that would be 13-40 cups of water!) I would increase this amount on hot summer day or after rigorous exercise.

Nobody knows your dog better than you, you likely will notice when your dogs thirst becomes excessive without measuring daily intake, but knowing what's healthy is helpful information none the less.

Watch For In Your Dog: Excessive Drinking

Dogs cannot tell us when something is bothering them, and I doubt that they would even if they could. Dogs are just not the type to go around complaining about things.

That's why it's important that we watch for signs and symptoms of disease. Generally, anychange in your dog's body, behavior, actions or routine is telling you something. Some of the signs can be quite subtle and easily overlooked or dismissed. Paying attention to early symptoms can save your dog a lot of suffering and give him the best chance for a successful recovery.

Today we'll take a look at excessive thirst/drinking.

I was talking to a friend about post-op issues her dog was having after an extracapsular repair of her ACL. During our discussion she mentioned that in the snow they noticed that her dog's urine was clear, with no color to it at all, and she asked whether it was something to worry about.

I asked if her dog was drinking a lot. It turned out that her dog had been unusually thirsty and drinking large amounts of water since her surgery three months ago!

Excessive drinking is a symptom that should be taken seriously.

What constitutes excessive drinking?
Any change in your dog's drinking or eating habits should be noted. Drinking more than usual without an obvious explanation—such as hot weather or exercise—should not be dismissed. Do you have to fill the water bowl more often lately? Does your dog urinate more frequently? Talk to your veterinarian.

Take it seriously. Depending on other symptoms, excessive drinking can be a sign of a number of conditions, including

• Diabetes mellitus
• Cushing's syndrome
• Addison's disease
• Liver or kidney disease
• A potentially life-threatening uterine infection and other serious conditions

When in doubt, err on the side of caution. 

Early diagnosis can mean the difference between treatment success or failure.

Cat and Dog Skin : Itch , Scratch, Bite, -Lick!

Does your dog (or cat) have skin problems? Is it continually scratching, biting and licking at itself….and you don’t know why? Well, take comfort, you are not alone.

There are really six main reasons why dogs and cats will itch and scratch. The bottom line is... don't let them suffer! There IS a diagnosis to be made and then you and your veterinarian will be better able to select the proper treatment plan.

Itching and scratching in dogs: One of the most common calls made to any animal hospital in America goes something like this: "Doctor, I’ve got to get this dog in right away. He’s driving us nuts. All he does is itch and scratch, bite and lick and he’s keeping us up all night!"

My thought is that if the pet’s caretakers are being driven “nuts” by the dog’s scratching and licking, how awful must the poor dog feel?

Top 5 Causes Of Itching In Dogs

Dogs can become itchy and begin to scratch for many different reasons. However, allergies of various types are among the most common causes.

Canine Flea Allergy Dermatitis
An allergy to fleas is one of the most common reasons dogs become itchy. When a flea bites a dog, it injects a substance into the dog’s skin which causes the allergic response.

For a sensitive dog, one flea bite can make the dog extremely itchy.
One of the most difficult things to understand is that often no overt evidence of fleas is present even though a flea allergy is the reason for the dog’s discomfort. This inability to find evidence of fleas stems from the fact that only one flea need be present and bite the dog in order for the allergic reaction to occur.

In addition, dogs frequently groom themselves and remove the evidence of the fleas through their grooming behavior. Therefore, not being able to find fleas does not rule out a flea allergy as a cause of itching in a dog.

Itchy Dog? why

There are more than 500 different things that can cause your dog to be itchy. If your dog is scratching all the time it is important to find out what is causing the itch. This can be quite difficult. While there are many common causes of canine scratching, it can take quite a bit of detective work to figure out the culprit. Try not to scratch your dog’s itchy spot for him. Believe it or not, scratching the itch will only make the dog more itchy.

There are several things you can do to ease your dog’s itch while you try to figure out, with the help of your vet, what is causing the irritating itch.

How can I control my hyper puppy?

When I wake up in the morning, and when I come home from work at night, my puppy is so hyper and wild that I can't control him. I'm trying to use training commands, but he just won't listen. Help! 

Thanks to Disney movies and Norman Rockwell pictures, dog ownership is often seen through rose-colored glasses. And while I commend you for turning to obedience commands in your time of need, you might have more success giving them to a potted plant, rather than to your puppy.

Puppies (and dogs!) who spend many hours alone—confined or not—often get too little exercise and so are often labeled "out of control" or "incorrigible," while neither is usually true. They're perceived that way because when they're finally given attention and/or freedom, they celebrate joyously—in ways that dogs find celebratory. They race around, jump up, and take drive-by nips at anything in their path, while their humans, at a total loss, shout commands at them, hoping to make an impression and regain control.

Why is my dog so hyper?

Hi, I’ve had my cocker spaniel since he was about seven weeks old and he has been consistently…hyper. It seems that he has boundless energy. He goes for long walks in the late afternoons and plays all night. However, he won’t calm down unless we put him in a crate. I hate having to put him away, but he never stops moving or destroying property (which he only does when we aren’t looking). I’m not sure what the issue could be. I haven’t gotten him altered because I got into an argument with his other parent about whether or not to do it (I’m in favor, he is not) and I’m thinking this is part of the problem. Is it normal for a cocker spaniel to be so hyper active? Thanks – T.T.

Dear T.T.,

Some of the most common behavioral reasons that people give for admitting their dogs to the Houston SPCA are related to the dog’s energy level. “Too much energy,” “too active for children,” “too active indoors,” are some of the reasons for admission. T.T., I hope that your question reaches some of the people who are considering bringing their pets to the shelter for these reasons, so that they can learn that there are so many things that can be done to change “hyperactive” dogs into agreeable household companions.

Calm a Hyper Dog 2

Is your dog high strung and hyperactive? A hyper dog can be difficult to deal with on a daily basis. Here are some tips for making your dog more tranquil.

Dogs have unique personalities just as humans do. Some dog breeds are docile and laid back while others are high strung with loads of excess energy and enthusiasm. If you happen to be the owner of a dog who gives new meaning to the term “hyper”, you may need tips on how to calm a dog so you can restore tranquility to your home.

When dealing with a hyper dog, the most important question to ask is, “Why is my dog hyper?” Some breeds naturally have more nervous energy. This is particularly true of dogs in the working class such as the German Shepherd and Border Collie. These breeds need a great deal of exercise and focused activity to help to expend their considerable energy reserves. Smaller dogs can exhibit the similar high energy traits. Most people who have owned a Chihuahua can attest to their predisposition towards nervousness. If you live with a naturally hyper dog, the most important thing is to make sure he gets enough exercise. This can be in the form of a brisk walk several times a day or a fast paced game of ball or frisbee. Regular exercise can work wonders not only for your dog’s health but also for his high strung disposition.