Hyperventilating in Dogs
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 06/16/2017Updated: 01/13/2022
Veterinary reviewed by Michele K.
Why is my dog hyperventilating?
What is Hyperventilating?
Your dog begins to pant rapidly. She may snort or seem to be inhaling too much air. On top of your own apprehension about what is happening, she also seems scared. What could be causing your dog to breath so rapidly? Is it even possible for dogs to hyperventilate? The answer is yes. Surprisingly, some of the causes are the same as those that cause hyperventilation in humans. They include:
  • Metabolic acidosis
  • Getting too excited
  • Stress
  • Other breathing difficulties
Why Hyperventilating Occurs in Dogs
Metabolic Acidosis
Metabolic acidosis is characterized by increased acid production due to metabolism or the reduced excretion of acids. It is relatively common in dogs, and it is most often secondary to another more serious condition. Conditions such as diabetic ketoacidosis, renal failure, or respiratory dysfunction and poisoning are primary conditions that contribute to metabolic acidosis, and each must be treated in order to restore the pH balance to appropriate levels. Treatments may include dialysis, medication, or the administration of oxygen. 
Getting Too Excited
Does your dog seem to hyperventilate any time you have company? Does she pant irregularly when she knows you are going to the dog park or out for a walk (activities that she regularly enjoys)? It is possible that your dog hyperventilates simply because she gets overly excited at the thought of doing something she enjoys. There is no treatment for this type of hyperventilation; however, your vet can prescribe medication if the hyperventilation presents a significant problem. Note that it is always best to rule out a respiratory ailment, heart problem, or other infection that could be causing the hyperventilation. 
Stress
While dogs can hyperventilate because of sheer happiness, they can also hyperventilate because of fear and/or stress. Thunder, fireworks, loud noises – all these can illicit hyperventilation in your dog. Usually, hyperventilation is not the only symptom your pet will exhibit when stressed.  Dogs exhibiting stress will often whine or cry, yawn repetitively, pace, tremble, or hide in addition to hyperventilating. Rarely, dogs experiencing stress will break housebreaking habits and lose control of their bladder or bowels. Stress can be caused by the aforementioned situations, but trips to the vet or dog groomer or strange visitors can also frighten your dog. Your vet can prescribe medications to help them deal with anxiety.
Other Breathing Difficulties
If all other possibilities for hyperventilation have been ruled out, it is possible your dog is suffering from other ailments such as overheating, pain, Cushing’s disease, anemia, or laryngeal paralysis. Overheating due to heatstroke can cause a dog to pant rapidly, imitating hyperventilation. Pain, like stress or excitement, can also cause excessive panting. Cushing’s disease causes the adrenal glands to excrete excessive cortisol, which can cause heart ailments. Brachycephalic dogs may also exhibit excessive panting or seem to be hyperventilating due to their elongated soft palate. Brachycephalic dogs should never be allowed to get overly hot or exercise excessively due to their abnormalities which already predispose them to breathing difficulties. 
No matter the cause of your dog’s excessive panting, you should always have her examined by a vet to rule out possible life-threatening ailments.
What to do if your Dog is Hyperventilating
All episodes of excessive panting should be treated as serious illnesses until your vet can rule out all possible causes of hyperventilating or excessive panting. If you suspect that your dog is panting excessively due to stress or excitement, try to remove the dog from the situation in order to help bring breathing back to normal. 
It should also be stated here that owners should do their best to contain their anxiety when they witness an episode of excessive panting or hyperventilating. Your dog will often mirror your behavior, and if he or she is already upset because of breathing difficulties, your nervousness will only exacerbate the problem.
Prevention of Hyperventilating
You may not be able to prevent all episodes of hyperventilation in your dog. Your dog may simply need anxiety medications for stressful situations, and your vet may recommend a “thunder vest” if medicine is not an option you want to take. You may have to condition your pet to deal with certain situations such as the vet or groomer. If you suspect your dog has gotten too hot, immediately bring her inside and allow her rest and drink water (be sure she does not drink excessively).
Hyperventilation can be expensive to treat. If you suspect your dog has hyperventilation or is at risk, start searching for pet insurance today. Brought to you by Pet Insurer, Wag! Wellness lets pet parents compare insurance plans from leading companies like PetPlan and Trupanion. Find the “pawfect” plan for your pet in just a few clicks!
Cost of Hyperventilating
Depending upon the cause of your dog’s hyperventilation, treatment can be expensive. For instance, treating your anxiety in your dog is relatively inexpensive. Treating more serious diseases such as metabolic acidosis can be expensive ranging from $500 to $5,000. The national average for treating metabolic acidosis is $3,000.
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Hyperventilating Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
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Shih Tzu
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Nine Years
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8 found this helpful

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8 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Hypoventalating
Trying to catch breath
Sept. 24, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
8 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails. I hope that your pet is okay. If they are still having problems, It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get any testing or treatment that might be needed.
Oct. 24, 2020
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Shepard Mix
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dog-age-icon
Three Years
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1 found this helpful

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1 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Noisy Breathing/Hyperventilating, Concave Chest
My dog was significantly throwing up for a few days (July 16-20). She visited the vet on 7/24 & a follow up on 7/31 and got anti-nausea meds which helped her stop throwing up, however, she still hasn’t eaten much and is starting to have diarrhea again. She just today has started to exhibit breathing problems.
Aug. 3, 2020
Answered by Dr. Sara O. DVM
1 Recommendations
So sorry to hear about your dog. If he is vomiting while taking nausea medication, there is something very severe going on. I commonly see dogs with obstructions continue to vomit despite nausea medication. It sounds like your dog needs bloodwork and x rays.
Aug. 3, 2020
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Pit Bull, Boston Terrier, Chihuah
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Quinn Ann
dog-age-icon
7 Years
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Hyperventilating, Drooling
My dog Quinn hyperventilates out of the blue. Today she started and it was loud and she was drooling. It scared me. Since i adopted her 4 months ago she has only done it maybe 5 times and this was the first time she drooled. What should i do?
Sept. 11, 2018
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Miniature Pinscher
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Lola
dog-age-icon
1 Year
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Hyperventilation
Hello. I have a miniature pinscher who just turned a year old. She will randomly have trouble breathing, like she is hyperventilating. It is usually completely at random and out of nowhere. Sometimes when she is sleeping too. Any ideas?
July 31, 2018

Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
It is possible that Lola has a problem with her heart, lungs, or throat, or she may be having a syndrome called 'reverse sneezing'. If you aren't sure, it may be a good idea to video the episodes and have her examined by a veterinarian to see what the cause might be and if it is a problem for her.
July 31, 2018
My dog rocco pitbull 92lbs has a 1 to 4 bad to abscess teeth he is 12.5yrs old and he is fine just very tierd acting most the time but when visitors or just anything that gets him excited. He sames to hyperventilate to the point hes white gums he settles down after a goon solid min or to of hyperventilating my question is can tooth pain cause this if tooth is really bad I taking him to specialist and few vets and be3n told iys not chf and thats hes in prefect health be sides that blood work u name it hes had it tested wants to see about cat scan etc told me could be in his brain a disorder isnt a tooth more likely need help everyone i talk to cant tell me anythi g but good luck and think about putting him down and I cant bring myself to do that
Sept. 23, 2018
No N.
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pit bull terrier
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Willow
dog-age-icon
9 Months
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1 found this helpful

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1 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Eye Discharge
I have had Willow just over a month now and I have noticed at random moments she will stop what she’s doing and begin to hyperventilate (like gasping for air with an awful noise to it). It doesn’t happen everyday but it happens enough now to where I’m getting concerned. When we initially got her looked at the doctor ruled that she was a healthy pup. Just want to know if I should be worried about this or not.
April 22, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
There is a condition called a 'reverse sneeze' that may be what Willow is doing - you can look up a you tube video and see what this looks like and if it seems that it is what she is doing. If so, it is not life threatening, and can sometimes be related to allergies. If that is not what it seems that she is doing, since I can't see her, it would be best to video the episodes, and show it to your veterinarian to see if they can determine what the problem is, and how to treat it. Even if it is a reverse sneeze, if it is happening more frequently, she may need short term anti-histamine therapy to help resolve it.
April 22, 2018
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Labradoodle
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Chocolate
dog-age-icon
9 Months
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0 found this helpful

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0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Sneezing
Coughing
Choking
Shaky
Hyperventilate
My puppy tends to hyperventilate a lot, it's usually at night and scares us because we think he's choking. However usually with a few hugs he's better, could it be because he's scared. And it usually happens after he eats too. It worries me because he's still a puppy, is this serious?
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Mix
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kona
dog-age-icon
9 Months
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1 found this helpful

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1 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Hyperventilate Or Heavy Breathing
excited puppy plays so hard seems to almost hypervent wont stop to drink etc til play is over i get worried heart go so fast etc shes havn fun but is she at risk > i cool her down gv her water but she just goes right back even faster i want her to play n be happy but how do i know her limit she strong healhy etc could she have stroke or heart atack or over heat ?
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