PetAgree
The dog days of summer are upon us and inevitably this means heatstroke for some poor unsuspecting pooch. I am always surprised by the people who truly don’t know the dangers of heatstroke for their dogs. I will stress to you the importance of knowing the symptoms of heatstroke, as well as, ways to prevent this condition. Heatstroke can be lethal! Heatstroke can also be prevented and quite honestly, prevention is far more successful than most treatment.
Let’s talk specifics: A dog’s normal body temperature is around 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit (+/- 1 degree) and any time the body temperature is higher than 105 degrees Fahrenheit a true emergency exists. Dogs are unable to sweat so panting is their way of cooling down. Panting when temperatures are very high or there is high humidity simply isn’t as effective so the body temperature rises.
A typical scenario for heat stroke involves over exertion on a warm muggy day, being locked in a car (even with the windows down folks!) or when left outside in hot/humid conditions without adequate shade or water. Here is a great statistic from a recent study at Stanford University Medical Center; the temperature within a vehicle may increase by an average of 40 degrees Fahrenheit within one hour regardless of outside temperature! Basically, cars are ovens if the sun is out!
Any dog breed is at risk for over heating but there are certain breeds that are more susceptible. Brachycephalic breeds (short nosed dogs) such as the Pug, English bulldog, Boston terrier and Boxer are all prone to heat stroke due to their anatomy. Overweight and elderly dogs also have a harder time handling warm conditions. If you have a short nosed breed or your dog is a senior or overweight take it easy when it is hot/humid.
What does heat stroke look like? Heat intolerance presents as a restless, uncomfortable, panting dog that may be excessively salivating. This can quickly progress into a dog that becomes unsteady on his feet, collapses, turns gray, blue or bright red in color and at this point a true emergency exists. If this happens to your dog, attempt to cool the dog down while on your way to your veterinarian. Use cool wet towels over neck, armpits and groin. Wet ear flaps and paws with cool water and direct a fan over dog if possible. DO NOT use ice water or super cold water for cooling. Do NOT force water down dog’s throat and DO NOT leave dog unattended for any length of time. Get to your veterinarian as soon as possible so they can administer emergency care.
Ways to prevent heat stroke involve providing shade and plenty of water for your dog. Avoid leaving your dog in the car, even with the windows down, on even mildly warm days and when exercising your dog work them into it gradually. Don’t rush them into exercise if it is the first warm day, they need to get acclimated to the heat.
Heat stroke can be life threatening and often times people don’t take it seriously. If you think your dog is having trouble with the heat I urge you not to wait, call your veterinarian or better yet drive there if you are worried. The quicker the dog is seen the better the outcome!
{Sidenote: What to do if you see a dog in the car? If you are at a place of business write down the car description (including license plate number) and go to service counter and request them to make announcement. If this isn’t successful, than call the police. I have had to do both and in both cases the owner’s had no idea there was a risk to their dogs safety. Honestly, some people really just don’t know}
