What Is Heat Exhaustion?
Heat exhaustion, also called hyperthermia, occurs when your pet’s body temperature rises above a healthy range and they are unable to regulate their own body heat. This condition ranges from mild heat exhaustion, which can be treated at home, to severe heatstroke, at which point your pet can lose consciousness, run a high fever, or even experience organ failure.
Because dogs primarily pant rather than sweat, they are much more sensitive to heat than humans are. Luckily, heat exhaustion is easily preventable—even in the dog days of summer.
Part 2: How to Prevent Heatstroke in Dogs (And Cats)
Every year, countless dogs, and some cats, die after being locked in cars while their folks run an errand, often for “just a few minutes.”
These tragic deaths are entirely preventable.
Heatstroke happens when your pet’s temperature becomes dangerously high, generally about 106 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be because of being locked in a hot car or exercising in hot and/or humid weather.
A chemical reaction breaks down the cells in your pet’s body.
Heavy panting, rapid pulse or heartbeat, bright or dark red gums and tongue progress to unconsciousness.
The end result is brain damage, organ failure and death.
To reduce the risk of heat stress in dogs, Nelson recommends owners exercise them in the evenings or early in the morning when it is cooler. Also, like humans, dogs need to be conditioned before walking or jogging long distances. Begin with shorter distances, and gradually increase them as the dogs stamina also increases. A well-conditioned dog will be able to handle the heat and humidity better than a dog is out of shape, she said.
“Every year thousands of pets succumb to heat stroke because they were left in cars while their owners ran a few quick errands,” she said. “In just one hour on a 70-degree day, the inside temperature of your vehicle can soar to over 110 degrees. Its just not worth the risk.” [an error occurred while processing this directive]
“Dont try to make it the rest of the way home as it may be too late by the time you get there,” she said. “If your dogs condition is severe enough to require a trip to your veterinarian, wet it down first and start the cooling process before you leave. It is important to get to the veterinarian as quickly as possible, so you leave as soon as the animal is wet.”
Any dog can overheat on a warm summer day, but short-faced breeds such as pugs and bulldogs are at a higher risk as they cannot dissipate heat as well through their panting, Nelson said. The extra exertion needed to cool themselves leads to secondary swelling and compromise of their airways. When your dogs body temperature gets too high, the organs will start shutting down. In severe cases, there is irreversible organ damage and death, she said.
If your dog experiences any of these symptoms, Nelson said you should quickly get it into an air-conditioned building or in the shade and wet it down with cool water. Ice-cold water or ice should not be used because it can cause the blood vessels to constrict and trap in heat. Putting a fan in front of the animal while its being wet down will help to cool it off faster, she said.
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