Dogs extremely quick panting

Question
My dog, Chance, is only about 4 years old, but this morning, we realized that he was panting extremely quickly and shallowly. He had just gotten out of the pool, so we assumed he was just out of breath from swimming. Around 2:00 this afternoon, we noticed that the rapid panting was back, so we let him in the house, covered him in wet towels, and sponged the pads of his feet with cool water. (Today is not a particularly hot day, so we don't think it has to do with heat)

This seemed to gradually help, but then we noticed his leg started spazzing, as if he were trying to scratch himself. Last summer, he had a skin problem where he would get really itchy, scratch himself constantly, and develop bald spots on his stomach, base of his tail, chin, and around his legs. We got medication from the vet and this helped (however the vet did not diagnose the problem), but it didn't completely go away until the fall. Now the bald spot is returning on his stomach, but it's not raw like it was last summer, so we're not worrying to much. But today, he has started scratching uncontrollably again, and it seems to be associated with the panting, so we're getting scared. We're keeping him inside over night, and if the problem still doesn't go away during the cool nighttime (even though today wasn't particularly hot), we will know that it has nothing to do with temperature. If the problem persists tomorrow, we will bring him into the vet. We would greatly appreciate any help that you could give us! Thanks!

Answer
Hi Emily,

It sounds as though your dog is having two problems:

The itchy bald spot which has returned to your dog's stomach area, and the rapid breathing. Of course the breathing problem is the more serious of the two, once the breathing problem is resolved, you should treat your dog for the itch.

Rapid breathing generally means one of two things: Your dog is in pain, or he isn't getting enough oxygen.

It is not always easy to tell when -- or where -- your pet is hurting. Dogs are much more stoic than people are. If pain doesn't seem to be the problem, your dog could have a heart condition. Pets with congestive heart failure, for example, have trouble getting enough oxygen, so they will breathe more quickly. In addition, they may be reluctant to lie down. Sitting upright helps them breathe a little easier, just as people with breathing problems will prop themselves up with pillows.
One way to see if your dog is getting enough oxygen is to look at his gums. They are usually a healthy pink. If the gums seem slightly blue or gray, there may not be enough oxygen in the blood. (For dogs with black gums, you can check for pink on the inside of a lower eyelid by gently pressing a finger below her eye and allowing the lower lid to droop a bit.)

Rapid breathing isn't a symptom that you can treat at home.

If your dog is continuing to breath rapidly with shallow breaths, you should not wait until your vet office opens in the morning to get help. Many vet offices have "after hour" help available, if yours doesn't, check your yellow pages for a clinic that is open for emergencies.

If your dog is breathing normally now, call your vet first thing in the morning, as you said you had planned to do. and have your dog checked out.

I hope I've been a help.

Best of luck,

Patti