do dogs experience panic attacks?

Question
My 8 year old silky terrier who I adopted after my parents died, had some type of attack last night that resembled a panic attack.  She was panting heavily, could not sit still, did not know what to do with herself, wanted to escape the yard or come inside the house anything but sit still.  When I took her for a walk in the morning, she was running all the way and still panting heavily.  I gave her a bath to cool her down.  I then put her on her mat and made her lie there quietly.  She got up many times but I persisted and she seemed to calm down slightly. What should I do should this happen again as we didn't get much sleep last night with her trying to get out of the yard and desperately clawing at the doors and whimpering.

Answer
I don't know that they have the sort of panic attacks that people do.  They can be badly frightened by things they don't understand.  perhaps you should get a good check up at the vet.  That will eliminate a number of possibilities leaving fewer variables.