If dogs pant heavily and drink a lot, it is usually due to poisoning or heat stroke. But fear, stress, dehydration, fever or even Cushing's syndrome are also possible causes.
Under certain circumstances it can also be a combination of several triggers. For example, panting due to allergies and drinking a lot of water due to hot weather.
Below you will learn about the typical symptoms of the most common causes and what to do in specific cases.
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#1 Poisoning
The news suggests that poisonings are usually caused by poison bait. In practice, however, owners usually poison their dogs themselves unintentionally.
The reason? Many owners mistakenly assume that regular foods must be healthy for dogs too. Unfortunately, the reality looks different.
Even small amounts of the following foods can lead to severe poisoning, shortness of breath and massive pain:
- Chocolate and cocoa products
- Grapes, raisins and wine
- Onions, garlic and avocados
- Walnuts and macadamia nuts
- Alcohol and the sugar alcohol xylitol [1]
Since dogs' means of communication are severely limited, poisoning is primarily reflected in their behavior. Typical signs of this are:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Restless behavior
- Heavy panting
- Dog trembles when resting
- Lethargic behavior
- Dog drinks a lot
- Sudden diarrhea
- Loss of appetite [2]
In some cases, poisoning is caused by the dog accidentally swallowing medication, eating poisonous plants, or licking cleaning products.
If you suspect this, I would advise you to see the vet immediately. If left untreated, poisoning can lead to serious kidney and liver damage or even be fatal.
Poisoning from food or swallowing other toxins can cause dogs to drink more and pant heavily. It can often be recognized by the dog suddenly vomiting, shaking and refusing to eat.
#2 Heat stroke
Dogs have a slightly higher body temperature compared to us, at between 38-39 °C. However, even 2 °C colder can have fatal consequences.
Dogs with a flat face in particular overheat particularly quickly – the so-called “brachycephalic dog breeds”. Classic examples of this are:
- Bulldog
- pug
- German boxer
- Shih Tzu
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Pekingese
- Boston terriers [3]
Heat stroke can most often be recognized by the dog having bright red gums, panting heavily and drooling. Other symptoms include:
- Sudden vomiting
- Fast pulse
- Dog collapses
- Heavy breathing
- Dry gums
- Dog drinks a lot
- Coordination problems
- Dog breathes quickly [4]
Dogs generally find it much more difficult to deal with heat than humans do. They can also sweat, but they have sweat glands almost exclusively on their paws.
Heat stroke is most commonly caused by a dog being chained in the sun or locked in a car. Two absolute no-gos for owners.
To treat it, you should immediately cool your dog down with cold water and then take him to the doctor immediately to prevent long-term consequences.
When dogs suffer heat stroke, they usually start panting heavily. Among other things, it manifests itself in the fact that the gums are very red, the pulse is increased and the dog drinks a lot. This is a veterinary emergency.
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#3 Cushing's syndrome
When dogs get scared or feel stressed, they automatically release the stress hormone “cortisol”. This is completely normal.
However, Cushing's syndrome leads to permanently increased amounts of cortisol being released even in everyday life. Affected dogs are therefore constantly on alert.
You can usually tell if the dog is restless, drinks a lot, is panting almost constantly and is very hungry. Other typical symptoms of this are:
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Recurrent skin infections
- Swelling on the stomach
- Dog tires quickly
- Occasional hair loss
- Severe fatigue [5]
In almost all cases, a tumor is responsible for this hormonal disorder. In 4 out of 5 cases it is located in the pituitary gland, in the remaining cases in the adrenal glands.
Depending on the type and severity, treatment is either through surgical removal or with the help of medication. The vet can help here. [6]
Increased cortisol levels caused by Cushing's syndrome lead to increased drinking, constant panting and severe hunger in affected dogs. In the advanced stages, hair loss and abdominal swelling usually occur.
#4 Dehydration
When most people think of a lack of fluids, they usually think of drinking too little. But there are also other possible causes for this:
- diabetes
- Chronic vomiting
- Heat stroke
- Kidney disease
- Frequent diarrhea
- Fever [7]
The best way to find out is to check skin elasticity. To do this, take a piece of skin on the dog's back and squeeze it lightly.
Once released, the skin should immediately spring back to its original position. If the process is rather slow, then it is due to dehydration.
It can also usually be recognized by the fact that the dog's heart rate is increased, the dog is panting heavily, appears listless and drinks a lot. Other classic symptoms are:
- Dry gums
- Balance problems
- Dark colored urine
- Dog falls over
- Dry nose
- Loss of appetite
- Sunken eyes [8]
To prevent this, your dog should always have access to fresh water at home. I also advise you to regularly provide drinking opportunities when you're on the go.
In acute cases, you can also encourage your dog to drink with flavored water. However, if you suspect illnesses, I recommend visiting the vet.
Dehydration can cause dogs to be lethargic and drink a lot. A dry nose, decreasing skin elasticity and constant panting can also indicate this. In individual cases this can also be due to illness.
#5 Anxiety & Stress
In stressful or frightening situations, dogs release both adrenaline and cortisol. These two stress hormones ensure that the dog becomes more productive.
These hormones also explain, among other things, why there are stories about mothers who were able to free their child from under a car. Typical causes of anxiety in dogs include:
- Violence in education
- Presence of strangers
- Loud noises
- Lack of socialization
- Previous traumatic experiences
- Strong storms
- Contact with dominant dogs [9]
In extreme cases, this can also lead to panic. If you have ever had a panic attack yourself, then you know that those affected drink a lot.
You can also recognize fear if the dog has his tail tucked in and is in a hunched posture. Other classic symptoms are:
- Frequent yawning
- Dog licks his lips
- Sudden tremors
- Ears lie back
- Whining and whining
- Dog leaks urine
- Constant panting [10]
The solution here is to find out the cause of the fear. If the trigger cannot be removed, the four-legged friend needs to get used to it gradually.
Severe anxiety or chronic stress can cause dogs to pant heavily and drink a lot. Among other things, it can also be recognized by the fact that affected four-legged friends constantly lick their lips, tuck in their tails and behave restlessly.
#6 Fever
Fever itself is not an illness, but rather a symptom. In most cases, it's a sign that the immune system is fighting the following things:
- Poisonings
- Internal inflammation
- Medication
- Viral infections
- External inflammation
- Vaccinations [11]
When a body temperature exceeds 40°C, dogs are considered to have a fever. The best way to measure it is with a thermometer under your armpits.
In addition to an increased body temperature, there are usually other typical symptoms. This includes:
- Red eyes
- Lack of motivation
- Constant panting
- Cough
- Increased drinking quantity
- Dry nose
- Discharge from the nose
- Loss of appetite [12]
Instead of fighting the fever itself, it is important to identify the underlying cause. You should consult your veterinarian, especially if you have a severe fever.
Dogs with a fever not only have an elevated body temperature, but also usually drink unusually much. In addition, fever often manifests itself as a dry nose, loss of appetite and heavy panting. Here it is important to investigate the causes.
Other causes
The following problems are primarily known to cause panting. However, drinking behavior should remain the same:
- Heart failure: This is best recognized by the fact that the gums become pale, the dog pants excessively, is not hungry and the stomach swells.
- Lung disease: Both inflammation and lung cancer can manifest as coughing, panting, fainting and difficulty breathing.
- Allergies: They usually manifest themselves as severe itching, reddening of the skin and sudden swelling. Panting can occur, but is rare.
- Calcium deficiency: Elevated calcium levels cause dogs to drink a lot, while too low levels can lead to excessive panting.
- Anemia: It can usually be recognized by the fact that affected dogs have little energy, sleep a lot and their gums become paler. [13]
The following illnesses can lead to excessive thirst. However, panting is rare here:
- Kidney problems: They can usually be recognized by the fact that the dog is listless, has no appetite, has to pee more often and has metallic bad breath.
- Diabetes: Causes dogs to get cloudy eyes, chronic infections, lose weight and drink a lot.
- Chronic vomiting: Leads to increased drinking volume due to water loss. In addition, affected dogs are usually weak and listless.
- Hypercalcemia: Too high calcium levels lead to intense thirst, vomiting, weight loss and the formation of bladder stones.
- High salt consumption: Leftover food from humans almost always contains too much salt for dogs, causing them to drink more. [14]
- Hyperthyroidism: This usually occurs when affected dogs have a strong appetite, vomit and breathe more quickly.
- Medication: Many common medications have the side effect of influencing dogs' drinking behavior.
- Uterine suppuration: Unneutered female dogs can…