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Why is my dog breathing heavily and fast, even when resting?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Brittany | Male | neutered | 2 years and 6 months old | 35.27 lbs

I'm slightly worried about my dog because he tends to breathe heavily and fast quiet often. After a walk it takes him about an hour to calm down and recently he's been breathing heavily a lot more frequently. He could be lying on the floor completely calm and then out of nowhere start breathing like he's been running for hours.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Mirissa Duncil, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 5th, 2017

Hi there. Your description of Jackie is disturbing. Labored breathing is abnormal at rest in a normal setting. My recommendation is to take him in to the vet-the will perform a physical exam and more than likely recommend x rays to check his heart and lungs for signs of disease. In a young dog such as yours, anxiety can also play a role. I hope this helps. My best to you and Jax.

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on August 26th, 2018

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think that if he just had his annual examination and everything was fine, this is more likely to be something more benign like due to anxiety or really in some cases dogs appear to be having difficulty breathing when it is just the way they breathe regularly. Unless this is continuous or he is showing other signs of respiratory distress such as coughing or lethargy, I would not be concerned. Good luck and have a great day!

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