Summer Reminder for Dog Owners

We’ve all heard the term, and know the general terms of the condition, but really, what is heat stroke in dogs?  The     simplest of answers is that it’s the inability of the canine body to regulate a normal body temperature due to external influences.  “Duh”, right?  Well, I agree, however understanding just a wee bit further may be the difference between a literal life and death situation for our furry, four-legged friends and it’s up to us as the more intelligent animals to make sure we minimize the frequency of occurrences that trigger heat stroke in our dogs.

First off, let’s get the “ugly” out of the way.  Heat stroke in dogs can kill your life-long friend.  That isn’t meant to scare anyone, it’s the fact of the matter.   That’s the worst part.  The best part is that we, as masters of the tail waggers, can prevent or at the very least minimize it to the point where heat stroke is never life threatening and it comes in the form of education and understanding.

Smoking While Pregnant

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first…If you’re old enough to remember having a rotary telephone in your house then you will also attest to the fact that when we were infants in the wombs, statistically speaking, 1 out of every 4 our our mothers smoked.  Why?, well because no one knew the difference.  Once we as a society figured out that cigarette smoke is harmful to an unborn baby, then we as a society stopped smoking while pregnant, for the most part anyways.  Let me throw another obvious one at you…leaving your dog in a parked car during a hot day.  C’mon folks, we know that can and does cause heat stroke and kills dogs.  Yet, whats the number one cause for heat stroke in dogs today?  Yup, you guessed it, leaving man’s best friend in a hot, parked car.  Why take the chance?

 

Let’s talk about why.  As you may be aware, dogs don’t sweat like we do.  They pant as the number one way to cool their bodies.  Although dogs also evacuate heat from the pads on their feet, the canine’s ability to cool itself is nowhere near as effective as sweating is for humans. If you’re hot, your dog is hotter!  Opposed to beating you amongst the brow on what to look for as symptoms of heat stroke in dogs, lets first talk about which dogs are more predisposed to contracting heat stroke.    It’s a common sense list as as I mentioned earlier, education and understanding is really the best approach because there is no arguing that the very best cure for heat stroke in dogs is prevention.

Predisposed Dogs

The common one everyone is aware of is short muzzled dogs.  Bulldogs, Pugs, Boxers, etc.  Basically if your dog snores and snorts, odds are they have a short muzzle and are predisposed to heat stroke because of the compact make up of the entry point to their respiratory tract.  There’s nothing wrong with that, just be aware.  Working dogs who are forced to be outside may not be predisposed by breed, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them when they don’t have a choice.  Dogs who have had heat stroke before, are more likely to get it again.  It’s a harsh example, however if one has had cancer in the past and beat it (God bless you if you have), they have to be on their toes to make sure they are aware of the signs and symptoms.  Same thing applies for previous canine survivors of heat stroke.  Leaving your dog in the car predisposes them to heat stroke (see “cigarette smoke” above if your still wondering if leaving Fido in a car is a good idea).  Excessive exercise on a hot and or humid day is another predisposed situation.  That’s not to say don’t exercise your dog on a warm day, that’s just to say be mindful.  If you have an outside dog, lack of shelter is another one.  Basically, make sure your dog has access to shade all day long as the sun moves. Dogs with thick coats are also more prone to heat stroke.  The thick coat should be the indicator there.  If your dog has an existing condition such as heart or lung issues or respiratory problems, they too are predisposed to heat stroke. Lastly, old and or over weight dogs.  We as old and fat humans have a heck of a time in hot weather, same things apply with your dogs.  Now that we know which dogs are most apt to suffer from heat stroke, how do we identify it and what do we do about it?

What to Look For

Possible Signs and Symptoms of Heat Stroke in Dogs:

• Excessive panting
• Glassy eyes
• A worried look (they know)
• Increased salivation yet a dry gum line and sometimes discoloration
• Rapid or erratic pulse
• Weakness and or confusion
• shallow breathing
• Lethargic
• Lack of attention to the calling of their name
• Vomiting and diarrhea in extreme cases

Paying attention to your dog’s normal behavior and comparing to how they may act in a warm environment is really the best sign to go by, especially if your “whoofer” is predisposed to heat stroke.  If you think your dog is suffering from heat stroke, ideally, we want to cool the dog’s body as quickly as possible.  Having said that, don’t use ice or super cold water.  Ice will restrict the blood vessels and therefore the flow of blood and especially for dogs, its the flow of blood that keeps them cool.  The normal canine body temperature is from 100.5 to 102.5.  Heat stroke occurs at 105 and irreversible affects of heat stroke in dogs occur at temperatures above 106. Damage to kidneys, liver, the gastrointestinal tract, heart and lungs are most common at these extreme body temps.

Take Action!

What to do in the Case of Heat Stroke in Dogs:                                                                                                                                                       

1. Get them in the shade or at least out of direct sun light
2. Spray water on the entire dog but especially on their bellies and chest and inside the hind legs.  This is where the blood flows closest to the skin.  Flowing water works best like from a hose, but any water will do at this point as long as it’s cool water.  Avoid the use of wet towels if you can.  If you have to use them, replace them frequently.
3. Cool air directly on the wet dog is most effective.  The circulating air will cool the pooch quickest.  If you can get them into air conditioning or in front of a cool fan or even turn the car on and sit with them with the air conditioning on, that’s the best bet.
4. Try giving the dog small amounts of cool water.  Do not try human sports drinks as it is not made for the canine body.  There is only one sports drink designed especially for dogs that I am aware of, otherwise, use water, but don’t allow them too much.
5. Get the dog walking around as soon as they are able.  This will help with blood flow.
6. Get your dog to the vet.  After any exposure to heat stroke they must be seen by a vet to determine if there is any permanent damage even if it was minor heat stroke.

Heat stroke in dogs is avoidable.  We as dog owners need to be the first line of defense by knowing what dogs are prone to it, what are some of the signs of heat stroke in dogs and how to treat it prior to taking to the vet.