Firstly you must know what a panting dog means. There are many reasons why a dog may be panting, and many more reasons why you shouldn't restrict these things with a small muzzle. Dogs breathe through both their nose and mouth, a pant is just an open mouth with moderate to rapid breathing, and usually the tongue sticking out. Panting lowers body temperate and gets oxygen into the dogs' bloodstream. Some don't know that dogs' do not sweat like humans, instead they cool their self by evaporating the moisture in the mouth/tongue and replace the hot air in the lungs with cold air. Dogs do however sweat a bit from their paws but it is not effective enough to keep them cooled down.

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Dogs don't just pant when over-heating either, they can pant with walking, being out in the heat, under stress, when excited or playing to name of few. Though overheating can be the biggest issue in dogs muzzled or not, especially when the temperatures are high. You will notice most dogs that are anxious will pant a fair amount.

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The more dogs pant, the more they evaporate moisture from the tongue/mouth and the faster they replace the hot air in their lungs, the faster they cool down and the less likely they over heat or worse. Video on panting HERE.

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But what is heat stroke/overheating and why is it so dangerous?

"Heat stroke is a term commonly used for hyperthermia or elevated body temperature. Generally speaking, if a pet's body temperature exceeds 103°F/39.4°C, it is considered abnormal or hyper-thermic. The most common cause of heat stroke or hyperthermia is leaving a dog in a car with inadequate ventilation. Other common causes of heat stroke include being left in a yard without access to shade or water on a hot day, being exposed to a hair dryer for an extended period of time, and excessive or vigorous exercise during hot temperatures. Excited or excessively exercised dogs are sometimes at risk even if the environmental temperature and humidity does not seem high. This is particularly true if dogs are kept in a poorly ventilated environment or a dog house." - By Krista Williams, BSc, DVM, CCRP; Ernest Ward, DVM

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If they are not given enough shade or water, left in the car or exercised in extreme heat, is not only highly discouraged by any pet professional, it is considered animal cruelty in most countries... So why are tiny and restrictive muzzles allowed and recommended by so many, used incorrectly they can kill your dog especially when paired with any of the other issues above.

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Don't forget about the ability to vomit and not choke on it

If your dog vomits and is unable to swallow properly, he could choke on his vomit and aspirate into his lungs causing a severe and potentially fatal pneumonia. Again a huge risk when using a small muzzle on your dog. 

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View the muzzles below and imagine how any animal would feel comfortable and safe with one on. Can't pant/breath, yawn, vomit, or drink properly and unfortunately this is what gets promoted. The only reason most companies have photos of well fit muzzles is from their users fitting them correctly and posting the photo, not because they're using them to advertise a proper fit. 

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"Well I wouldn't have it that tight"... Then it would not stop a bite, which is why they are not appropriate or safe.