panting dog

Question
hello, i am not sure what to do for my dog who will not quit panting, the weather has gotten about 10 degrees hotter(65-75) and that is all he does, scratch himself and pant  is there anything i can do to help him?
thank you,
Randi

Answer
Randi,

Does your dog stay outside all the time or is he allowed in? If your dog is strictly outdoors, there are precautions you will need to take to keep him comfortable both in cold and hot weather. During the summer, he needs a cool, shady area to lay in away from the sunlight. It's also very important to make sure he always has plenty of fresh, cool water. There are other things you can do to help him - like cooling pads, ice chews, frozen treats, etc. Drs. Foster & Smith carry those types of products, their website is www.drsfostersmith.com.

It is very possible that your dog is just hot - especially if he doesn't have a chance to come inside or lay in a well shaded, open air area to cool off - or if the temperature got 10 degrees warmer very quickly. However, if you think your dog is panting excessively, it may be something you need to speak to a veterinarian about. Things like obesity, stress, dehydration, some parasites, and other issues can lead to increased panting. Below I linked you to an article about what normal panting is, as well as excessive panting and its possible causes.

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/panting-in-dogs-is-it-normal/page1.aspx

Good luck with this. Let me know if you need anything else.

Ashley