If you do feel like your pup is suffering from heat stroke, call your vet. It's better to be safe than sorry! During the warmer months keep your pooch cooled down by keeping him in a cool home. If you do need to take him out make sure he stays hydrated with plenty of water.
Our dogs have a higher body temp than we do, and less ability to cool down. Humans are covered with sweat glands, but a dog’s are confined to her nose and the pads of her feet.
An overheating dog can only regulate her body temperature through panting, which isn’t terribly efficient in hot weather. In a very short period of time, an overheated dog can suffer critical damage to her brain, heart, liver and nervous system.
Recognizing the Signs of Overheating in Your Pet
Heatstroke — the ultimate and often deadly result of overheating — is caused by a dangerous elevation in an animal’s body temperature.Symptoms of overheating include:
Heavy panting or rapid breathing
Elevated body temperature
Increased pulse and heartbeat
Weakness, collapse
Excessive thirst
Glazed eyes
Vomiting, bloody diarrhea
Seizures
Excessive droolingIn addition to hot vehicles, other contributors to pet overheating include humid conditions, lack of drinking water, obesity, and overexertion.
Tips for Keeping Your Pet Safe in the Heat
1. Never, ever leave your pet alone in a parked car on a warm day. Not even for a minute. On a warm day, the temperature inside your vehicle can rise quickly into the danger zone.
On summer days, it’s best to leave your pet home where she can stay cool, hydrated, and safe.
2. Don’t walk or exercise your pet on hot pavement. Not only can pavement on a hot day burn your dog’s paws, but the heat rising from concrete or asphalt can quickly overheat an animal that lives close to the ground.
3. Exercise your dog during the coolest parts of the day. In most locations, this means early in the morning or after sunset. temps hit 90 degrees, your pet should be indoors where it’s cool.
4. Provide plenty of fresh clean drinking water at all times. In addition to overheating, your pet can become dehydrated very rapidly in warm weather.
Remember that a cool pup is a happy pup, so when in doubt keep him in a home that has air conditioning. That way you won't ever have to worry about heat stroke at all! For more excellent doggy tips check out Healthy Pets.
