Malamute panting.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question. I have seen a number of Malamutes who tend to pant all the time and this could possibly be normal. But, there is also the possibility that there is something else going on.

Sometimes excessive panting can be the sign of a hormonal problem such as hypothyroidism or cushing's disease. He's a little bit young for either of these but it is definitely possible.

Having had a history of having heartworm does have me a little concerned. Some dogs can have lasting effects after having heartworm. This can cause problems with the heart or the lungs.

Ideally it would be a good idea for your vet to do a thorough exam and take some chest xrays and probably repeat some heartworm testing to make sure that things really are clear. The tricky thing is though that this testing could be expensive and the result may be that everything is fine. But still, if there really was a problem there then you would want to know about it and hopefully be treating it.

I wish I had more answers for you. I really do think that a vet checkup is the best idea though.

Dr. Marie



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Dr. Marie replied:

Every food is different in regards to how much he needs to eat. It sounds like he is a good weight now, so probably a maintenance amount is good. The food should have a guide on the side of the bag that tells you how much to feed according to his weight. Usually it's a range. I'd stick to the middle of that range.