Heat Stroke In Dogs

Our furry friends are affected by the heat more than we think, with heat stroke in dogs being very common. Try to make smarter choices for them this Summer to prevent heat stroke and burns.

Precautions

Now that the weather is heating up, precautions are needed so our pets don’t suffer from heatstroke or burns. Smaller caged animals are more susceptible to the heat and struggle to maintain body temperatures.

Pets that are overweight, have medical conditions such as heart issues or are of a brachycephalic breed such as Pug’s, Frenchie’s, Bulldog’s or Persians are also more likely to struggle and need extra precautions taken to ensure they are ok.

Do not walk your dog on days of extreme heat. If you cannot rest the back of your hand on the pavement outside for more than 4 seconds then it is too hot for a walk. Dogs can suffer from burns on their paw pads.

The only way dogs and cats can cool themselves is by panting, they do not have sweat glands and struggle to cool their bodies efficiently. Ensure access to fresh water and shade for pets at all times of the day.

Heat stroke symptoms

If you think your pet has been affected by heatstroke ACT QUICKLY. Heatstroke can become life threatening to the animal within 10-15 minutes.

Symptoms:
Lethargy, inattentiveness or lack of coordination, excessive drooling, excessive panting, brick red or purple gums, increased body temp, vomiting or diarrhoea, increase heart rate and pulse, collapse, unconsciousness and even death.

Heat temperatures

When the air temperature is 24 degrees the pavement temperature is actually 52 degrees and the car temperature after only 10 min is 35 degrees. As the air temperature gets higher and reaches 35 degrees the pavement temperature increases to 65 degrees and the temperature in a car for only 10 minutes becomes 45.5 degrees for our furry friends.

Make sure to keep your pet well hydrated, provide cool shaded area’s when at home and never leave in the car unattended, temperatures can rise quickly within seconds in a car!

For more information about keeping your pet safe during the Summer check out our post about how much water your pet should consume.

If you think your pet is suffering issues from heat contact us on 9707 3855.