Shortness of breath, panting

Question
I have a 13 yr old slightly overweight Golden retreiver.  Lately he seems to only be able to trot a very small distance with out excessive panting sounds almost like wheezing or an emphazema attack.  Also, upon getting up in the morning he's already panting.  all blood work is a ok  Xrays of heart and lungs show nothing.  Any advice will be appreciated.

Answer
Hi there!  Oh, Golden Retrievers are my absolute favorite.  They are just the most adorable, beautiful animals!
As for your golden boy:
Being that the heart and lungs look okay, this would rule out any sort of congestive heart disease, which is a wonderful thing!  I would definately suggest, if overweight, putting him on a diet.  I know, I know, those big brown eyes are so hard to resist, but it really is best to have a dog more on the thin side, than even the slightest bit overweight.  At the age of thirteen, in a large dog, some sort of arthritis has to be present.  Whether it's very slight or even full blown, any sort of excess weight will make it alot worse.  Arthritis makes it harder for an animal to move, and it is very strenuous...this is where the panting comes in.  It is a combination of pain and difficulty in getting around...and his age added to that just makes it difficult for him.
What brand food do you feed him?  I can suggest a WONDERFUL food.  It's called Solid Gold.  There is a diet blend that works very well.  This food is 100% natural...no artificial flavors,by-products, or preservatives.  I just swear by it.  Here is the website if you are interested:
http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
Here are some holistic suggestions to try for arthritis that you can find at your local health food store:
one teaspoon of flax seed oil once a day on his food.
one Boevine Cartlidge tablet per day
one Sharkfat pill per day
These will help lubricate his joints which will ease pain, promote new and healthy cartlidge growth, and keep the organs running smoothly.
I had a border collie.  She just passed away at the age of 18 years.  When she was 12 years old, she was panting, not able to run like she used to, ect.  It progressed until she wouldn't even go up the stairs anymore.  I fed her the solid gold food, put the flax seed oil once per day on her food, gave her the boevine cartlidge and sharkfat pills, and a few weeks later it was like she shed years off her life.  She was running up and down the steps the day before she died.  I was so amazed at what these pills and holistic treatments did for her, I always recommend this for dogs showing similar behavior that she had and I have always received feedback that their dogs have had the same results with this treatment.  I hope that if you do try this, that your baby feels just as good!
Please keep me posted and give him tons of kisses for me!
Hilary