Hi My female boxer is almost 2 and the past few days I have noticed her breathing to be a little different. Sometimes she is panting other times she is breathing at a fast rate while laying down and sometimes she is completely normal. Is this a problem to worry about or nothing at all? Thanks! Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Female | spayed | 1 year and 7 months old | 40 lbs

If her breathing looks labored (fast and difficult to breath usually with abdominal effort and sometimes a stretched neck) then this is an emergency. I would take her to your nearest emergency clinic. If the fast breathing is more of a pant with minimal effort then it might not be a huge issue. I would watch her closely to see if the panting is at appropriate times like after getting excited or coming in from outside or seeing new people as panting is a normal response to these type of events. If not, then I would definitely have your vet look at her. If the panting continues or if you are unsure whether she is labored breathing then I would have your vet look at her. Your vet will be able to listen to her heart and lungs and even doing chest X-rays if needed. I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If she played over 24hrs ago, panting is not related to tiredness / exhaustion from the play. Panting is often a sign of lung problems (infection, aspiration), but it could be also due to heart diseases, fever, muscular or joint pain, abdominal discomfort and more. Please, take Dede to your local vets to find out what the problem is and to start treatment as soon as possible.