Heavy breathing or deep, intense panting can also be a symptom of eclampsia, also called milk fever. Eclampsia is a dangerous condition that affects nursing mothers; low blood calcium levels lead to an inability to stand or walk and tremors. And allergies, infection, or irritation within the airways can cause wheezy, noisy breathing in dogs. Diestrus: During this stage, your dog will no longer be fertile, but she will still be producing progesterone to help if she’s pregnant. During this time, her vulva will become less swollen and she will show less interest in mating and in males. If she’s not pregnant, high levels of progesterone can cause phantom pregnancies.

Treatment with prednisone, prednisolone, or other forms of cortisone mimics Cushing’s disease (see above). Many dogs receiving steroids demonstrate excessive and inappropriate panting that typically goes away within a few weeks after the medication is discontinued. Going out of her way to look for potential mates. When in season, and especially as she becomes more fertile, she may be less inclined to return to you when calledStress and anxiety can be another trigger for increased panting. Things like a trip to the vet, changes within household dynamics or an encounter with a strange dog can all make your dog feel stressed. Watch out to see if your dog’s increased panting is accompanied by other signs of stress. If you notice these symptoms regularly, you may want to think about how to reduce stressful situations for your dog, or ask your vet for advice. Pain or illness Female dogs approaching their heat cycle are putting off all kinds of delicious smells, and both neutered and intact dogs at a dog park will be paying her more attention. This can cause her undue stress as she seeks to avoid attention from other dogs. It might also trigger a fight between other dogs as they compete for her attention. It's never a good idea to take your intact female dog to a dog park, as it could result in a dog fight, or, on the flip side, an unwanted pregnancy. Finally, a female dog in heat may become anxious or even aggressive during the time she’s open for mating. Commonly she’ll also display nesting behaviors, in preparation for pregnancy. The American Veterinary Medical Association states it well: "For canine patients, due to the varied incidence and severity of disease processes, there is no single recommendation that would be appropriate for all dogs. Mature intact males might also be practicing behaviors such as humping that could cause a dog fight. The scent of a female dog approaching her heat cycle can trigger humping and excessive attention from other dogs, intact or fixed, which can cause scuffles to break out — especially as other male dogs in the group compete for her attention.

Wiggle the underpants around a bit to make sure that they’re fitting properly, and that the pad is appropriately located. Dogs may mask their pain with normal behaviors, such as wagging their tail. And an injury may be internal -- for example, as a result of being hit by a car. So if you suspect your pet may be in pain, don’t delay. Seek veterinary care right away. Dogs naturally pant, especially in warm weather or after exercise. However, excessive panting can indicate discomfort or health issues like heatstroke, heart disease, or anxiety. How do I know if my dog is panting too much? Medication. Some medications, such as prednisone, may also lead to heavy panting in dogs. Talk to your veterinarian if you think your dog’s medication is causing heavy panting. Other Causes of Heavy Panting in DogsAnestrus: The anestrus phase is your dog's reproductive cycle's time of rest and lasts until their next cycle begins. Your dog might start to act differently during proestrus and estrus. Some dogs have more obvious behavioral changes than others — it can be different for each individual dog. In some cases of a dog's first heat cycle, they can also experience what's called a "silent heat." This is where there are little to no physical signs of being in heat and very subtle behavioral changes.