With summer comes some extreme temperatures, and many pets can suffer from heat stroke, which can lead to medical complications and even death. Moreover, if a dog’s body temperature reaches 110°F (43°C), he or she can die within minutes, so it is important to recognize heat stroke, but more importantly, prevent it before it happens. Therefore, in this article today we will point out some things to look for regarding heat stroke in dogs and what you can do to prevent this from happening in the first place, so read on to learn more.
Recognizing Dog Overheating Symptoms
The mortality rate for heat stroke in dogs is around 50%, but if caught early enough they can survive. Early signs your dog may have heat stroke are heavy breathing, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, and diarrhea, but as his condition worsens he could vomit blood, have abnormal breathing, collapse, or have seizures. If, these symptoms are spotted you should soak him with cool water, but do not use ice, and take him to the nearest vet so he can be treated as quickly as possible.
Preventing Your Dog from Overheating in Hot Weather
Most preventative measures are pretty logical, but with busy schedules, it can be easy to forget things, especially when it comes to our pets. For instance, you may intend to just pop into a store and leave Fido in the car for just five minutes, but we all know that five minutes can easily turn into 30 minutes. Moreover, the temp inside a vehicle can be as high as 30 degrees above what the outside temperature is and it only takes minutes for a car to heat up excessively in the sun.
In addition, make sure your dog has access to water at all times during very hot days, because a dog only has panting as a way to cool himself without water. If you have an outside dog, be sure there is plenty of fresh water and shade, although if the temp is going to exceed 100 you should find a way to bring him inside during the heat of the day. Furthermore, taking your dog for a trim can help prevent heat stroke, although don’t shave him or he could be at risk of getting sunburn, you can also use rags soaked in cool water and put them inside his thighs, or put cool water on his paws to help cool him.
Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, if it’s too hot for you, then it’s most certainly too hot for Fido. Keep in mind, to exercise your dog early morning or late evening on very hot days, and try and let him relax throughout the high temp part of the day. Finally, any exercise can increase their body temp dramatically so be careful especially on those hot and humid days to help ensure that your dog will not suffer from heat stroke.