Heat Stroke in Dogs and Cats

Hot weather is here once again and with it comes the prospect of heat stroke if we don’t properly care for our pets.  This informative article is from Dr. Jan at Pet Wellbeing.

"After such a cold start to spring the weather is now hot. When we overheat we sweat to cool off, but our pets can only sweat through their foot pads and this is not enough to cool the body. In order to cool the body, dogs rely on panting. Panting moves the air through the nasal passages where it picks up excess heat and this is expelled through the mouth. Although this usually works well, in confined spaces and high humidity this cooling system does not work well.

Breeds of dogs who have short nasal passages, such as pugs, are prone to heat stroke because they simply can not move air quickly enough to get rid of the heat. Obese dogs have trouble due to layers of fat that insulate them and keep heat in. Very old or very young animals may not have fully functioning temperature regulating systems and so are subject to heat stroke. Interestingly enough cat are better at regulating their body temperatures, likely because of their desert origins and rarely suffer heat stroke.

The best way to treat heat stroke is to prevent it. Never leave your dog or cat in a car unattended. Cars are potential death traps for pets. If you can’t take your pet with you, then leave him at home, otherwise bring a friend who will stay in the car with the pet with the air conditioning running.

Avoid long walks on hot sunny days. Stick to walking when it is cooler in the early morning or evening. Too much sun exposure can cause sun burn as well as heat stroke. Provide lot of fresh cool water for your dog at all times.

So what are the signs of heat stroke??
Excess panting, increased rectal temperature, dark red gums, dry mucus membranes, collapse, dizziness or disorientation can all be signs of heat stroke.

If you suspect your dog has heat stroke, first move him out of the heat. Begin cooling by using cool cloths especially on foot pads, arms pits and head. Do not use ice as this can trigger a deadly reaction. Offer cool water and take him to your veterinarian immediately. Even if he seems all right, he needs to be checked for internal organ damage.

Most dogs will recover from heat stroke but every year some dogs die from it. Prevention is the most important thing to keep your dog from heat stroke this summer.”