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Why is my senior dog panting, foaming, and peeing a lot on walks?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My 10 year old female golden retriever pants excessively and foams at the mouth & urinates frequently when walking. What could be causing this??

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 17th, 2017

It sounds like your dog has trouble breathing which would cause foam coming up from the lungs (due to fluid in the lungs). Urinating frequently could be a sequel to not getting enough oxygen, which then can trigger the urge to urinate. Your dog may be suffering from a heart condition or tumor or other condition that can cause pulmonary edema. This is an emergency and you need to take her to a veterinarian right away, or to a pet ER, for an exam, oxygen supplementation and possibly diuretics and further treatment as indicated by the results of the exam.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    In a senior dog, I would be concerned that she may be suffering from cardiac disease. This would cause her to pant excessively when she's walking. The foaming could be due to overheating, and the frequent urination could be due to a UTI, bladder stones, or kidney disease. I recommend having her seen by a vet for a physical exam, geriatric blood tests, urinalysis, and chest x-rays. These tests will help diagnose what is causing her symptoms, and then the vet can discuss treatment options with you.

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