Why is my 13yr old schnauzer is heavily panting & shivering?

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Jul 29, 2013
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Dog panting and shivering
by: Anonymous

http://www.pethealthandcare.com/blog/

Most dogs are known to shiver or shake when they are feeling cold or they have gotten wet. However certain small breeds of dogs tend to tremble or shake for no real reason. Some of the common causes of dog shaking or shivering are if the weather is cold, if the dog has a fever, outer ear infection, ear mites, food allergies, loss of balance, or is scared, among other possible causes. Dog panting is a normal and natural process in dogs, as dogs use this technique to cool their bodies down as they are not able to sweat like humans. Hence, as dogs run around and expend their energy they will tend to pant which is considered normal. In some cases panting may also be observed in dogs as a reaction to excessive heat, which will cause the dog to pant more during the summer than at other times.

Certain dog breeds such as the pug and the bulldog are also prone to excessive panting on account of their physical structure, whereas breeds like Golden retrievers will pant excessively because of the thick layer of hair they have on their bodies, which causes their bodies to heat up. The dog may also pant when it is thirsty which again is normal. However, dog owners should be concerned if the dog is sitting idle or not moving around, but you still find the dog panting heavily as this may be a result of an underlying problem such as fatigue, lack of cooling, a lack of oxygen being absorbed into the system, and so on. If excessive dog panting is on account of a fever, the first thing the dog owner should do is to give the dog a bath with some cool water or at least sponge the dog with some cool water. However, the water should not be too cold. Excessive dog panting and shaking may also be a sign or serious medical issues such as the dog being unable to breathe on account of a cold, heart disease, and so on. In such cases, excessive panting may also be accompanied by other symptoms such as drooping eyes, drop in energy levels and the dog’s inability to perform routine tasks which require some amount of physical effort. When any of these symptoms are observed it is necessary to visit the vet for an accurate diagnosis and corresponding treatment for the dog. Sometimes a dog will pant excessively on account of an upper respiratory tract complication, which may result in the nasal passages of the dog getting blocked.

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