Why Is My Old Dog Panting at Night? Causes and Help

An old dog panting at night may just be cooling off after a warm evening or a trip outside, or reacting to a storm. Patricia Smith, LVT, and Dr. Aly Cohen explain in Cornell's guide to canine respiratory distress that dogs breathe more slowly and deeply when resting, and may pant heavily with stress, excitement, exertion, or to cool down on a hot summer day. Panting that keeps going while your dog rests in a cool room can come from other things, like pain, anxiety, Cushing's disease, heart or airway trouble, or a medicine, and a vet can sort out which, if any, fits.

If your dog is in hospice or comfort care, their plan may say what to do. Without one, or if you're not sure, the first red flag Dr. Cohen names on her Cornell list of reasons to go to the emergency vet is breathing that's faster or harder than normal, especially at rest. Her other signs that fit a panting dog are in the first section below, along with what to do if an emergency clinic is far away or out of reach. If your dog isn't in comfort care, our guide to deciding between the emergency vet and waiting until morning walks through the go-now-or-wait call for the nights when you can't tell which side of the line your dog is on.

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Aly Cohen of Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center names these among the top reasons to head to an emergency vet when they're happening now: breathing faster or harder than normal, especially while at rest; noisy or strained breathing; blue-tinged gums or tongue; a sudden collapse; and a swollen belly with retching that brings nothing up. A hospice or comfort-care plan may say otherwise.
• Panting at night can come from heat, stress, or moving around, or from pain, anxiety, Cushing's disease, heart failure, laryngeal paralysis, or a medicine. These causes show up in many dogs, and aren't a read on any one dog. If your dog is with you now and takes a medicine a vet prescribed, that vet can say whether panting is a known side effect.
• If your dog is with you now and panting is the only change you're seeing, a cooler spot to sleep may help if the room is warm, and a few notes on what you saw can help a vet, if you see one.
• For a dog with you now who wakes at night, once possible medical causes have been looked at, veterinary behaviorist Dr. Theresa DePorter suggests a predictable nighttime routine, and notes that a night light can help dogs with vision problems walk in dark hallways more easily. When panting, on its own or with other changes, has you thinking about your dog's quality of life, a vet, including one who offers quality-of-life consultations, can talk it through with you.
• To anyone here because their dog has died, we're so sorry, and there's a section for you further down.

When to Worry About an Old Dog Panting at Night

For a dog with you now, get help now when panting comes with breathing that's faster or harder than normal, especially at rest, noisy or strained breaths, blue-tinged gums or tongue, a sudden collapse, or a swollen belly with retching that brings nothing up. These come from Dr. Aly Cohen's list of the top reasons to take your dog to the emergency veterinarian, picked for what fits a panting dog.

Dr. Cohen is an extension veterinarian at Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center.

Signs Your Old Dog Needs Help Right Now

If your dog is in hospice or comfort care, or a vet already treats a condition like heart disease or laryngeal paralysis, their plan may say which of these to call about. Without a plan, or if you're unsure, Dr. Cohen says to head to the emergency vet if any of these is happening now:

• Breathing faster or harder than normal, especially while at rest, or breathing that sounds noisy or strained.
• Blue-tinged gums or tongue.
• A lot of belly movement with each breath, or stretching out the neck to breathe.
• Suddenly collapsing or seeming very weak.
• A swollen belly with retching that brings nothing up, which may mean bloat.
• Crying out, shaking, being unable to move, or other signs of severe pain or distress.
• Excessive panting, drooling, weakness, vomiting, or collapse after time in the heat could be signs of heatstroke. For a dog with you now, Dr. Cohen says immediate cooling and veterinary care are crucial.

When you can't tell what you're seeing, Dr. Cohen advises calling a vet or a local emergency clinic. She notes that most veterinary hospitals can offer guidance during business hours, and emergency clinics are available after hours to help determine next steps. She also points to veterinary telemedicine, which, for a fee, can connect you with a licensed veterinarian who can help decide whether your dog needs to be seen right away, can wait for urgent care, or is okay to watch at home. If an emergency clinic is far away, you can't get there, or the cost is out of reach, you can try a telemedicine service tonight, or call the nearest open clinic and ask what they can do, including lower-cost options.

Getting Your Dog to the Vet at Night

If your dog is with you now and showing signs of respiratory distress, Smith and Cohen say to take them to the nearest emergency animal hospital and, when possible, call ahead so staff can prepare for your arrival. If your dog's care plan says otherwise, follow it. If you're driving, they suggest keeping the car cool with air conditioning.

For the ride, if your dog is weak or can't stand, Smith and Cohen advise laying your dog on their stomach with a pillow under their chin and their neck extended. They also suggest speaking softly to help keep your dog calm. If you can't lift or move your dog, you can say so when you call and ask what the clinic suggests.

Dog Panting at Night: What to Check Tonight

If your dog is with you now and panting is the only change you're seeing, a few checks may help you see whether heat, activity, or stress is behind it.

• How warm the room is. If it feels warm, we'd cool the room down, or help them to a cooler spot if they can get there.
• What happened just before, like a trip outside, getting up and down, or a storm.
• Their breathing once they've settled or fallen asleep. On its page for pets with heart disease, the University of Missouri's cardiology service suggests counting breaths for 15 seconds and multiplying by four while the pet sleeps or rests comfortably in a room that's not too hot or too cold. For those pets, it says the normal sleeping respiratory rate should stay below 30 to 35 breaths per minute, and this can vary slightly from pet to pet. If your dog is with you now and a vet is treating their heart disease, that vet can tell you what count to call about.
• Their gum color, if they'll let you look. VCA describes normal pet gums as a light, rosy pink. VCA calls gums that look faint pink to white pallor, which it says usually signals anemia and can also come from poor circulation. If your dog is with you now and their gums look pale, we'd raise it with a vet tonight, by phone or telemedicine if that's easier. If their gums are naturally dark, a vet can show you where else to look.
• Anything new, like a medicine or a dose change.

For a dog with you now, if none of these explains it, a vet, a telemedicine service, or an emergency clinic may be able to help you decide what to do tonight.

We'd jot down the time, how warm the room felt, what happened just before, and the breath count while it's fresh. If the panting comes back on other nights, those notes can give a vet a pattern to look at.

Is It Normal for an Old Dog to Pant at Night?

Sometimes it is. Dogs pant to cool down, and they may pant from stress, excitement, or exertion, so an older dog may pant for a while after a trip outside, on a warm night, or during a storm. If your dog is with you now and keeps panting while resting in a cool, quiet room, a vet can look at what's behind it.

Dogs can't cool off by sweating the way people do because they have relatively few sweat glands in their footpads, VCA's heat stroke page explains. It adds that panting is their primary way of regulating body temperature. The same page notes that dogs with a restricted airway, such as flat-faced breeds like pugs, boxers, and bulldogs, are at even greater risk.

Heat can catch up with some dogs sooner than others. For a dog with you now, it helps to know that flat-faced dogs, dogs carrying extra weight, and dogs with heart or breathing conditions are at increased risk of severe heat-related illness at relatively low ambient temperatures, or with relatively low levels of exertion, according to earlier research cited in a 2022 UK study of heat-related illness in dogs. If your dog is with you now and in one of these groups, a cooler room may help even on a mild night.

Dog Panting at Night While Resting or Asleep

Smith and Cohen note that dogs breathe more slowly and deeply when resting. If your dog is with you now and keeps breathing fast while asleep, count their breaths for 15 seconds, multiply by four, and share the numbers with a vet if you see one.

We'd also note whether the fast breathing keeps coming back, how long it lasts, and whether anything else comes with it, like coughing or restlessness.

Why Senior Dogs Pant at Night When It's Not Hot

When heat and activity don't explain it, panting at night in a senior dog can come from pain, anxiety (including the anxiety that can come with cognitive changes), Cushing's disease, heart disease, a medicine such as prednisone, or laryngeal paralysis and other airway problems. These are causes seen across many dogs, and more than one can overlap.

Pain and Arthritis

Pain can keep an older dog from settling at night. Dr. Aly Cohen lists excessive panting even at rest as a sign of pain in dogs, along with pacing and a dog who cannot get comfortable trying to sleep. For a dog with you now, her list also includes lying down more often, trouble getting up or using the stairs, licking or chewing one spot, less interest in food, and a normally affectionate dog who may now react badly to being touched or held.

At night, discomfort can stand out more. Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Theresa DePorter writes that dogs in discomfort may pace, pant, vocalize, or be restless at night, and that pain or sore muscles may be more noticeable to the dog at night.

For a dog with you now, Dr. Cohen says a vet will evaluate them with a physical exam, and testing may include X-rays, blood work, or other tests, depending on the dog's history and what the exam shows.

If your dog is with you now and has arthritis, Dr. Cohen's guide to osteoarthritis describes treatment as a mix of things, which may include low-impact activity like leash walks, non-slip rugs and ramps, and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which she says are commonly prescribed to manage osteoarthritis pain and inflammation, with routine blood work for dogs who need them long term. She adds that other medicines, such as gabapentin and amantadine, may be given alongside them, and that a once-monthly injection called Librela can provide longer-term control of osteoarthritis pain. We'd go at your dog's pace with any activity, and a vet can help you weigh these against what works for your dog and your household, including cost.

Anxiety, Fear, and Cognitive Changes

Anxiety is one of the conditions Smith and Cohen say can look like a breathing problem. Dr. DePorter notes that dogs may fear storms or noises in the home, and that anxiety often gets worse at night, when those sounds stand out against the quiet. An anxious dog's reaction may be limited to restlessness or pacing, she adds.

Cognitive changes can show up at night, too. VCA's veterinary behaviorists describe dogs with cognitive dysfunction syndrome who sleep more during the day and then become restless, often pacing during the night. Dr. Cohen adds increased anxiety, wandering the house at night, getting lost in familiar places, getting stuck in corners, and staring into space, and notes that dogs may start to develop it around nine years of age, or older. For a dog with you now, she writes that a vet will do a physical exam and recommend blood and urine tests to rule out conditions with similar signs, such as pain, arthritis, and vision or hearing loss.

For cognitive dysfunction syndrome, Dr. Cohen lists prescription diets made to support the brain, play and enrichment, and selegiline, a medicine approved for the condition in North America, among the treatments a vet may suggest for a dog with you now.

If the pacing, waking, and confusion are the bigger part of your dog's nights, our guide to sundowning in dogs goes much further into night restlessness and dementia in older dogs.

Cushing's Disease

Cushing's disease happens when the body makes too much of the hormone cortisol. VCA lists the most common signs as increased appetite, increased water consumption, and increased urination, with panting among its other common signs, along with a pot-bellied look, thin skin, chronic skin infections, a poor coat, and persistent bladder infections.

For a dog you have now, VCA says an exam, a history, baseline blood work, and urine testing will tell a vet whether Cushing's is present. The two tests most often used to detect it are the ACTH stimulation test and the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test.

VCA says a tumor of the pituitary gland causes most cases, and for that form, trilostane (Vetoryl) is the drug most used. If your dog is with you now and diagnosed, VCA notes that lifelong treatment may be necessary, with careful monitoring through blood tests and clinical signs, plus follow-up blood tests to make sure the dose is right. A vet can go over what that would involve, or what comfort care looks like if treatment isn't the right fit.

Heart Disease and Heart Failure

In dogs with heart failure, VCA notes, signs can include a faster resting breathing rate or excessive panting, along with coughing at rest or during sleep. The most common sign is persistent coughing with difficulty breathing. For a dog with you now, other signs on VCA's list include a swollen belly, pale or bluish gums, and a loss of appetite that doesn't pass. VCA adds that many dogs with heart failure tire more easily.

For a dog you have now with a heart murmur, VCA's advice is to let a vet know right away if signs like these develop. VCA describes listening to the heart with a stethoscope as the first step in diagnosing heart disease, followed by tests like chest X-rays and an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart. If your dog has heart failure, a vet can talk through heart medicines and a plan tailored to them.

If your dog is with you now and has heart disease, Missouri's cardiology service describes a few more signs of extra breathing effort to pay attention to, like the ribs moving farther out with each breath, a wide stance, or a sudden preference for sleeping on their chest instead of their side or back. If a vet treats your dog's heart, they can tell you which of these to call about.

Medicines, Including Steroids

Panting is a listed side effect of some medicines. VCA's page on prednisone and prednisolone, two steroid medicines, lists increased drinking, increased urination, and increased appetite as side effects, and adds panting at higher doses and during long-term use.

If your dog is with you now and the panting started after a new medicine or a dose change, the prescribing vet can tell you whether it fits. For a dog taking prednisone now, VCA says not to stop this medication abruptly, and to taper it slowly. We'd plan any change with the vet who prescribed it.

Laryngeal Paralysis and Other Airway Problems

Dr. Cohen explains that laryngeal paralysis happens when the voice box stops working properly, narrowing the airway and making breathing harder. She writes that it's most common in older, large-breed dogs, especially Labrador Retrievers, and that breathing trouble may start mild and worsen over time. Her list of signs includes noisy or raspy breathing, excess panting, coughing, gagging, a change in the sound of the bark, and trouble handling exercise and heat.

For a dog you have now, she explains that a vet can confirm it by directly examining the larynx while under sedation, and that a vet will also do a physical and neurological exam and may recommend chest and neck X-rays. For a dog you have now with a mild case, her steps include stress reduction, anti-anxiety medicine, limiting exercise, limiting exposure to hot and humid weather, using a harness instead of a neck collar, and weight loss. If surgery comes up for a dog with you now, she describes the most common one, a tie-back procedure, which helps open the larynx to improve breathing. She notes that it doesn't cure the larynx's function and that aspiration pneumonia is a common complication of the surgery. Whether surgery, comfort care, or something in between suits your dog, including cost, is a conversation to have with a vet.

Other airway and lung problems on Smith and Cohen's list include a collapsing windpipe, bronchitis, fluid in or around the lungs, pneumonia, and cancer. They add that pain, anxiety, and a low red blood cell count can look like breathing trouble too. For a dog with you now, a vet's exam can help tell them apart.

Dog Panting at Night With Other Signs

What comes with the panting can help a vet narrow things down. Heavy drinking alongside it can point toward Cushing's disease, a steroid, or another condition a vet can test for, like kidney disease or diabetes, and the extra trips outside that can come with it may wake a dog at night. Panting plus pacing can point toward pain or anxiety, and pacing at night can also be a sign of cognitive changes. For a dog with you now, if the room is cool and nothing stirred them up, the medical causes above become more likely.

Panting at Night and Drinking Lots of Water

For a dog with you now, panting plus heavy drinking is something to mention to a vet, if you see one. VCA lists both among the signs of Cushing's disease, and lists increased drinking as a prednisone side effect, with panting at higher doses and during long-term use.

Dr. DePorter notes that the urge to pee or poop may wake many dogs, and that senior pets are more likely to have medical conditions that make them need to go more often. Among the conditions she says to consider when a dog wakes at night are urinary tract infections, kidney disease, hormone imbalances, and Cushing's syndrome.

Cushing's isn't the only cause of heavy drinking. VCA's guide to testing for increased thirst and urination lists kidney disorders, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, and some hormone disorders among the causes in pets, along with certain drugs. For a dog with you now, VCA says the most common screening tests are a complete blood count, a serum biochemistry profile, and a urinalysis, and that measuring how much your pet drinks over 24 hours helps a vet judge how severe the problem is.

For a dog with you now, if you'd like a rough number to share with a vet, we'd fill the bowl to a marked line in the morning and note how much you add by the next morning.

Dog Panting at Night and Licking Lips

Lip licking can signal nausea. VCA describes vomiting as sometimes starting with a stage of nausea, when a dog may seem restless and possibly anxious, and may lick their lips, drool, and swallow repeatedly. If your dog is with you now and doing this alongside panting, a vet can look into what's upsetting their stomach and say whether anti-nausea medicine might help.

Dog Panting and Restless at Night or Waking at 3 a.m.

If your dog is with you now and restless at night, Dr. DePorter suggests thinking about the pattern of when your dog wakes, since that can help figure out the cause. Some dogs have trouble settling or falling asleep, some fall asleep easily and wake in the middle of the night, and some sleep most of the night and wake early. We'd note which of these your dog does, since it's useful for a vet to hear.

Shaking that starts along with the panting, in a dog with you now, is different from restless nights. Dr. Cohen counts shaking among the signs of severe pain or distress, and she advises seeking veterinary attention right away. If it's sudden or new for your dog, we'd call a vet or an emergency clinic now.

How to Calm an Old Dog Panting at Night

If your dog is with you now and it isn't an emergency, start with the room: cool it down, or move them to a cooler spot. A steady bedtime can help too: a last bathroom break, some quiet time, water close by, and a night light if their eyesight is fading.

None of this treats a cause. It can make nights easier while a vet, if you can see one, looks at what's behind the panting.

If your dog is with you now, the FDA advises checking with a vet before giving any pain reliever from home, since a medicine meant for a person, or even another dog, may not be right for them. The FDA also notes that the NSAIDs approved for dogs are available by a veterinarian’s prescription only, and that no over-the-counter NSAIDs for dogs are FDA-approved. If your dog is with you now and has already had a human medicine, we'd call a vet, an emergency clinic, or an animal poison control line now.

A Cooler, Calmer Spot to Sleep

For a dog with you now, a few changes to where they sleep can help them rest:

• On a warm night, a cooler room or a cooler spot in it is the first thing we'd change.
• Dr. DePorter suggests that quiet, soothing music may muffle sounds that bother a dog at night.
• A night light can help a dog with vision problems walk more easily in dark hallways, she notes, and VCA's behaviorists add that pets losing their vision benefit from extra lighting.
• On slippery floors, VCA advises using runners or floor coverings to provide traction. We'd start with the spots your dog crosses at night.
• If you can get one, an orthopedic bed can ease pressure on an older dog's bones and joints, Dr. DePorter notes.

A Predictable Bedtime Routine

Once possible medical causes have been looked at in a dog with you now, Dr. DePorter suggests a predictable nighttime and sleeping routine. The bedtime routine she describes may include a later bathroom trip, a massage, and quiet time settling in a comfortable spot, which she says can help in some cases. She notes that most dogs prefer to be with family members, while some prefer to rest alone.

We'd keep the evening meal, a final trip outside if they're up for it, and lights out at about the same time each night. If your dog wakes and pants, sitting with them quietly for a few minutes can show you whether company helps them settle.

If anxiety or cognitive changes are part of the picture, a vet may also discuss medicine with you. Dr. Cohen notes that a vet may prescribe medicines for specific issues such as anxiety in dogs with cognitive dysfunction.

What to Write Down for the Vet

For a dog you have now, if you can see a vet, a short record of their nights shows what a vet can't see in the exam room. If your dog may be in pain, Dr. Cohen suggests photos, videos, or written notes before the appointment.

Here's what we'd note, a few nights in a row if you can:

• The time the panting starts and how long it lasts.
• How warm the room is, and what happened just before.
• Whether they settle with company, a drink, or a trip outside.
• Their sleeping breath count, if you can get one.
• Any pacing, drinking, coughing, shaking, or trips outside.
• Any new medicine, food, or dose change, with the date it started.
• A short video of the panting.

If your dog is with you now and has heart disease, Texas A&M's cardiology handout explains that a vet will typically have families count the breathing rate at home while they're learning, so both the family and the vet can learn that pet's own resting rate.

What a Vet May Check at the Appointment

For a dog with you now who sees a vet, a visit for panting at night may start with a physical exam, including listening to the heart. From there, depending on what the exam shows, a vet may suggest blood and urine tests, chest X-rays, a heart ultrasound, hormone tests for Cushing's disease, or, for a dog with noisy breathing, a look at the larynx under sedation. Any notes or video you have can help a vet decide what makes sense for your dog, and you can ask what each test would show and what it costs before you decide.

When Panting Is Part of a Bigger Change

Sometimes panting at night is one piece of a wider change in an older dog, alongside slowing down, eating less, or nights that have gotten harder for a while. If that's where you are, a vet, including one who offers quality-of-life consultations, can talk it through with you.

Families come to these questions in their own ways and at their own pace. Our guides to weighing your pet's quality of life and when to put your dog down are there if and when you want them.

Our quality-of-life consultation directory lets you search by ZIP code, postal code, or city, and each listing shows whether a provider comes to you, offers virtual visits, or sees you at their location. Listings range from hospice and palliative care to in-home euthanasia and end-of-life doulas, so check each profile for what that provider offers. Our pet hospice directory works the same way, with in-home euthanasia providers, hospice and palliative care providers, and other end-of-life providers.

If Your Dog Has Died

If your dog has died, we're so sorry.

Nothing on this page can say what was happening with your dog. Panting comes with many conditions in older dogs. If a vet saw your dog and questions about those nights stay with you, that vet may be able to talk you through them.

If you'd like support, our pet loss grief counseling directory lists grief professionals and other providers who offer support, and our pet loss grief and emotions guides are there whenever you want them.

What to Do Next for an Old Dog Panting at Night

Dog panting at night in an older dog can have an everyday cause, like a warm room or a trip outside, or one a vet can look into, like pain, Cushing's disease, the heart, the airway, or a medication. If your dog is with you now, the quiet checks for tonight are the room, what happened just before, and a breath count once your dog settles.

If your dog is with you now and something about their breathing doesn't sit right, a vet, a telemedicine service, or an emergency clinic can help you decide what comes next. From there, a cooler spot, a steady bedtime routine, and a night light if their eyesight is fading may help your dog rest, and a few nights of notes can help a vet if you see one. Our senior pet care guides have more on day-to-day care for an aging dog, and our dog end-of-life resources cover the later stages, if you want them.

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