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Panting is one of those dog behaviors that can be totally normal one minute and genuinely concerning the next. When an older dog starts panting while resting in a cool room, it often leaves people thinking, “They’re not hot, they didn’t just run around, so what’s going on?”
The tricky part is that panting is not a diagnosis. It is a sign. In senior dogs, that sign can point to anything from discomfort or stress to heart, airway, hormonal, or pain-related problems. If your dog is panting more than usual, especially at rest, it is worth taking seriously and looping in your veterinarian sooner rather than later.
This article is for education, not diagnosis. Always check with your dog’s veterinarian, and if your dog looks like they are struggling to breathe, treat it like an emergency.
Why panting can change as dogs age
Dogs pant primarily to cool themselves, but panting also shows up when the body is trying to cope with something. A senior dog’s “reserve” is often lower than a young dog’s, so smaller stressors can create a bigger visible response.
Panting becomes more concerning when it is:
- New or clearly increasing
- Happening at rest or during sleep
- Accompanied by coughing, weakness, collapse, appetite changes, vomiting, pale or blue-tinged gums, or a swollen belly
- Happening with noise (raspy, harsh, high-pitched, or “honking” breathing)
Pet health resources commonly note that panting can be tied to stress, pain, medications, illness, and heart or lung disease, especially when it does not match the situation.
The most common reasons a senior dog pants when they are not hot
Pain and discomfort (often arthritis, dental pain, or abdominal pain)
Pain is one of the most overlooked causes because many dogs do not yelp or limp dramatically. They simply become restless, shift positions frequently, sleep lightly, or pant.
In older dogs, arthritis is a frequent source of chronic discomfort, and pain can absolutely trigger panting even at rest. While there is plenty of clinical agreement on this relationship, it is not always easy to “prove” pain at home because dogs hide it well and signs can be subtle.
Clues that point toward pain:
- Stiffness after resting
- Hesitation with stairs or jumping
- Less interest in walks
- Licking at joints
- New grumpiness when touched
- Panting that improves after pain medication prescribed by your vet (a useful clue, but only do this under veterinary guidance)
Heart disease or congestive heart failure changes
Some senior dogs pant because their heart is not moving blood efficiently, or because fluid is building in or around the lungs. Owners often notice decreased stamina, coughing (especially at night or when resting), and changes in breathing patterns.
Veterinary guidance on congestive heart failure notes signs like coughing at rest, increased resting breathing rate, and sometimes excessive panting, along with appetite loss, abdominal swelling, and pale or bluish gums.
A key takeaway: when heart disease is involved, the most helpful thing you can track at home is not “panting intensity,” but resting breathing rate.
Airway or lung problems (including laryngeal paralysis)
Older dogs, especially larger breeds, can develop upper-airway issues that make breathing physically harder. One well-known example is laryngeal paralysis, where the larynx does not open properly during breathing. It can start mild, then worsen over time, and it can become a medical emergency.
Clues that point toward airway involvement:
- Noisy breathing or a raspy sound (stridor)
- Voice changes (hoarse bark)
- Gagging or dry coughing
- Panting that gets worse with excitement, exercise, or warm weather
- Episodes that look like panic but are actually air hunger
Hormonal disease (Cushing’s syndrome and others)
Cushing’s syndrome (hypercortisolism) is more common in middle-aged to senior dogs and is associated with signs like increased thirst and urination, increased appetite, and often panting.
Important nuance: many internet lists mention Cushing’s, but diagnosis requires veterinary testing, and symptoms overlap with other conditions. Panting alone is not enough to assume it is Cushing’s.
Anxiety, stress, and cognitive changes (canine cognitive dysfunction)
Older dogs can develop cognitive dysfunction that affects sleep cycles and behavior. Some dogs become restless in the evening or at night, pace, seem disoriented, and pant.
Here is where the evidence is more limited: while cognitive dysfunction is widely recognized clinically, much of what owners notice (night pacing, panting, “sundowning”) is based on observations and behavior patterns rather than a single definitive test. That does not make it “not real,” it just means your vet may focus on pattern recognition, ruling out medical causes first, and then building a management plan.
Clues that suggest cognitive or anxiety components:
- Panting mostly at night
- Pacing and difficulty settling
- Staring at walls, seeming “lost” in familiar rooms
- Increased clinginess or irritability
Medication side effects
Some medications can increase panting, including steroids and certain other drugs. Do not stop prescribed medication on your own, but do tell your vet exactly what your dog takes and when the panting started.
AAHA’s endocrine guideline content on Cushing’s also notes panting as a sign associated with excess glucocorticoid exposure, which includes steroid medications (iatrogenic causes).
Fever, infection, anemia, and other systemic illness
Panting can occur when the body is fighting infection or when oxygen delivery is reduced (as can happen with anemia).
If your dog’s gums look pale, that can be an emergency sign and needs urgent veterinary attention.
What you can do at home right now
1) Check the environment, then reduce stimulation
- Move your dog to a cool, quiet room with good airflow
- Offer water
- Keep activity minimal
- Avoid car rides, excitement, or play until you understand what is happening
2) Count your dog’s resting breathing rate (this is a big deal)
Panting is hard to measure. Breathing rate is measurable.
VCA notes that a normal resting or sleeping breathing rate is generally 15 to 30 breaths per minute.
How to count:
- Wait until your dog is asleep or fully relaxed
- Count each chest rise as one breath
- Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2
- Write it down with the date and time
If your dog’s resting breathing rate is consistently above normal, or trending upward over days, contact your veterinarian. This kind of monitoring is commonly recommended in heart disease management because increasing resting rate can be an early clue of worsening respiratory status.
3) Do a quick symptom scan and write it down
Bring notes to your vet. It speeds up diagnosis.
Track:
- When panting happens (day vs night, after meals, after walks, after meds)
- Coughing (especially at night)
- Appetite and water intake changes
- Pot-bellied look or weight changes
- Vomiting, diarrhea, or weakness
- Gum color (healthy is generally pink, not pale/white or blue-tinged)
4) Avoid “DIY fixes” that can backfire
- Do not give human pain medications
- Do not force exercise to “work off anxiety”
- Do not restrict water
- Do not assume it is just age
If your vet recommends specific calming strategies or pain control, follow that plan, but do not experiment with medications at home.
When panting is an emergency
Seek urgent or emergency veterinary care if you notice any of the following:
- Struggling to breathe, belly heaving, neck stretched out to breathe
- Blue-tinged gums or tongue, or very pale gums
- Collapse, severe weakness, or inability to stand
- Panting plus repeated coughing, especially at rest
- Loud, harsh breathing or sudden worsening of noisy breathing (possible airway crisis)
- Suspected heatstroke (even if the weather feels mild, some dogs overheat easily)
If you are unsure, it is safer to call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic and describe what you are seeing.
What your veterinarian may check (and why)
Depending on your dog’s history and exam, your vet might recommend:
- Physical exam with heart and lung listening
- Temperature check (fever can drive panting)
- Chest X-rays to look for heart enlargement, lung changes, or fluid
- Bloodwork and urinalysis to assess infection, organ function, anemia, and endocrine clues
- Testing for Cushing’s if the full symptom picture fits (panting plus thirst, urination, appetite, body changes)
- Referral to cardiology or internal medicine if needed
The goal is to avoid guessing. Many causes overlap, and treating the wrong thing can delay the right care.
Helping your senior dog feel better while you investigate
While you work with your veterinarian, these general steps often support comfort:
- Keep routines predictable
- Use non-slip rugs and easy-access bedding to reduce joint strain
- Keep walks shorter and cooler (early morning, evening)
- Maintain a healthy weight (extra weight makes breathing and joints work harder)
- Consider a ramp for cars or stairs if mobility looks uncomfortable
- If cognitive changes seem likely, talk to your vet early. Supportive care works best when started sooner rather than later.
Most importantly: do not accept persistent panting as “just old age” until your veterinarian has evaluated it. Senior dogs deserve comfort, and many causes are treatable or manageable.
Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Home breathing rate evaluation (normal resting rate 15–30) (Vca)
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Congestive heart failure signs (coughing, increased resting rate, panting, etc.) (Vca)
- Veterinary Partner (VIN): CHF overview and diagnosis concepts (Veterinary Partner)
- Texas A and M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital: Home breathing rate and heart failure monitoring handout (vethospital.tamu.edu)
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Laryngeal paralysis overview (Cornell Vet School)
- MSD Veterinary Manual: Laryngeal paralysis signs and progression (MSD Veterinary Manual)
- AAHA 2023 guideline section: Canine hypercortisolism (Cushing’s) signs include panting (AAHA)
- PetMD: Cushing’s disease in dogs (overview and symptoms including panting) (PetMD)
- PetMD: Why dogs pant (heat regulation and concerning causes like pain, illness, heart/lung disease) (PetMD)
- PetMD: Pale gums in dogs can be an emergency (PetMD)