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<\/a><\/p>\nIf you have a dog, you\u00a0definitely know what panting looks like. It\u2019s when your dog breathes in and out rapidly with his tongue hanging out. Typically, your dog pants after being active.\u00a0After playing an active game of fetch with your dog, you typically both relax in the shade. While you fan yourself and drink a cool glass of lemonade, your dog pants\u00a0and slurps water out of a\u00a0bowl. You are actually doing the same thing: using your body\u2019s natural, instinctual functions to cool off.<\/p>\n
Most people know that panting helps their dogs stay cool. But have you ever wondered just\u00a0how\u00a0exactly panting works? Read on to learn how panting helps\u00a0regulate body temperature,\u00a0and the difference between normal panting and signs of\u00a0illness or injury.<\/p>\n
The Scoop on Panting<\/strong><\/h4>\nHave you noticed that your dog pants on warmer days and after physical exertion? That\u2019s because\u00a0panting is your dog\u2019s primary means of thermoregulation<\/em>. Thermoregulation\u00a0is the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries. Humans thermoregulate by sweating (and sometimes panting, too). As we heat up, our bodies\u00a0produce\u00a0perspiration which evaporates and cools our skin,\u00a0lowering our overall body temperature.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s a common misunderstanding that dogs don\u2019t sweat\u00a0at all. Actually,\u00a0dogs do have sweat glands\u00a0on their paw pads and nose, and will sweat to help regulate skin function and release heat in those areas. \u00a0However, sweat plays a very small part in their thermoregulation.<\/p>\n
Think of it this way: the nose and paws make up a very small percentage of a dog\u2019s\u00a0overall surface area, most of which is covered with\u00a0fur. \u00a0In order to cool their entire furry body, dogs need a more efficient way to expel heat. That\u2019s where\u00a0panting plays an important part.<\/p>\n
When your dog needs to cool down, his tongue may hang out of her mouth, and his breathing will speed up.\u00a0Dogs have a\u00a0typical resting respiratory rate of 18 to 34\u00a0breaths per minute, but this rate can get significantly faster while panting.\u00a0Panting moves hot, moisture-filled air in and out, increasing moisture evaporation in the mucous membranes of the nasal passages, mouth, and lungs. This\u00a0cools\u00a0the body from the inside out.<\/p>\n
The speed and pattern of your dog\u2019s panting will change depending on the needs of his body. According to a\u00a0report\u00a0by veterinarian Jerilee Zezula, \u201cInhalation and exhalation first occurs\u00a0through the nose entirely (rate is increased), then inhalation through the nose and exhalation through the nose and mouth, and, finally, both inhalation and exhalation through the nose and mouth with the tongue further extended as cooling needs demand.\u201d In other words, the hotter your dog is, the faster and harder he will pant.<\/p>\n
A panting dog\u00a0can take 300 to 400 breaths per minute, yet it requires surprisingly little effort. \u00a0Because of the natural elasticity of the lungs and airways, panting does not expend much energy, nor does it create additional heat.<\/p>\n
You may have noticed that sometimes your dog will pause in his panting to take a deep breath, then continue with short, rapid breathing. That\u2019s because panting is not an effective means of\u00a0exchanging air in the lungs. That panting pause is your dog taking a good respiratory breath, helping to maintain oxygen levels in the blood.<\/p>\n
Panting moves hot, moisture-filled air in and out, increasing moisture evaporation and cooling your dog from the inside out. \u00a0Please refer to my article Hot Weather Pet Care<\/a> to get tips on how to keep your dog cool in the hot weather months.
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It\u2019s a common misunderstanding that dogs don\u2019t sweat\u00a0at all. Actually,\u00a0dogs do have sweat glands\u00a0on their paw pads and nose, and will sweat to help regulate skin function and release heat in those areas. \u00a0However, sweat plays a very small part in their thermoregulation.<\/p>\n
Think of it this way: the nose and paws make up a very small percentage of a dog\u2019s\u00a0overall surface area, most of which is covered with\u00a0fur. \u00a0In order to cool their entire furry body, dogs need a more efficient way to expel heat. That\u2019s where\u00a0panting plays an important part.<\/p>\n
When your dog needs to cool down, his tongue may hang out of her mouth, and his breathing will speed up.\u00a0Dogs have a\u00a0typical resting respiratory rate of 18 to 34\u00a0breaths per minute, but this rate can get significantly faster while panting.\u00a0Panting moves hot, moisture-filled air in and out, increasing moisture evaporation in the mucous membranes of the nasal passages, mouth, and lungs. This\u00a0cools\u00a0the body from the inside out.<\/p>\n
The speed and pattern of your dog\u2019s panting will change depending on the needs of his body. According to a\u00a0report\u00a0by veterinarian Jerilee Zezula, \u201cInhalation and exhalation first occurs\u00a0through the nose entirely (rate is increased), then inhalation through the nose and exhalation through the nose and mouth, and, finally, both inhalation and exhalation through the nose and mouth with the tongue further extended as cooling needs demand.\u201d In other words, the hotter your dog is, the faster and harder he will pant.<\/p>\n
A panting dog\u00a0can take 300 to 400 breaths per minute, yet it requires surprisingly little effort. \u00a0Because of the natural elasticity of the lungs and airways, panting does not expend much energy, nor does it create additional heat.<\/p>\n
You may have noticed that sometimes your dog will pause in his panting to take a deep breath, then continue with short, rapid breathing. That\u2019s because panting is not an effective means of\u00a0exchanging air in the lungs. That panting pause is your dog taking a good respiratory breath, helping to maintain oxygen levels in the blood.<\/p>\n
Panting moves hot, moisture-filled air in and out, increasing moisture evaporation and cooling your dog from the inside out. \u00a0Please refer to my article Hot Weather Pet Care<\/a> to get tips on how to keep your dog cool in the hot weather months.
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