Symptoms and treatment of heat stroke in dogs

In summer it is very hot and one of the problems that appear if we have pets is heat stroke. The body of dogs is very different from that of people, in fact, while we sweat and eliminate heat through the skin they do not. Relieve the heat by breathing and through the sweat glands of the pads of the feet and nose, but often it is not enough and the heat can affect them very negatively. A heat stroke in the dog could cause excessive salivation, tachycardia or even loss of consciousness in more extreme cases. When temperatures are high you should be much more cautious with your hairy and at the slightest symptom worrying take him to the vet. To know, in this article we explain the symptoms and treatment of heat stroke in dogs .

Symptoms of a heat stroke in dogs

A heat stroke usually occurs when temperatures are very high, such as in summer and often also when there is a certain degree of humidity with heat, as is the case of places with beaches. What happens is that your pet runs out of reserves of sugar and mineral salts, which can be very harmful for them. That is why it is important to know if our pet is suffering heat stroke and detect it in time.

All dogs can suffer a stroke of heat regardless of race, size or age, although you should be more careful when dealing with puppies or older dogs because they have a more delicate health. Dogs with dark or black fur absorb more heat, so they may also be more affected than those with a lighter hair color, just as people do. Black absorbs a lot of heat and if you touch your black haired pet one hot day you will notice that it is too hot. Also, the races that come from cold climates and the brachycephalic breeds, with the flat snout, are more prone to suffer this problem.

The main symptoms of heat stroke in dogs are the following:

He is lazy or apathetic, does not get up or does not feel like moving when in general he is an active dog.
Breathing usually accelerates and is faster or more expensive.
The gums may appear bluish due to the difficult breathing that is suffering. This means that oxygen does not reach you properly.
Some dogs suffer tremors and / or vomiting.
The heart rate has increased.
Sometimes the pet can be seen wobbling.
Your body temperature has increased, that is, the dog has a fever or rather hyperthermia. Normally dogs usually have a normal body temperature between 38.5 ° C and 38.9 ° C, however with a heat stroke could reach 42 ° C or more.

It is important to detect heat stroke in time, because otherwise these symptoms could worsen or lead to more serious ones such as blood spots on the skin or gastrointestinal bleeding, organ failure or suffering from liver failure or renal, among others.

Treatment of heat stroke in dogs

The treatment is essential so that the pet does not get worse, so it must be done immediately. If you suspect that your dog is suffering heat stroke it is important to take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible. However, if you can not move it to the veterinarian immediately you can act on it instead of this and lower the temperature of your pet. Of course, always with care and not in any way. We explain what steps you should follow and some tips to treat heat stroke in dogs .

The main thing is to take our pet to a cool and shady place and we must apply cold in the important areas so that its temperature goes down. You can apply a cold damp cloth on the head, neck, armpits and groin. In this way we will not only lower the speed of breathing, but also, we can avoid brain damage due to excessively high temperature.

Put the animal under a stream of water. If you are at home take him to the bathtub or shower and if you are on the street look for a fountain to do it and use bottles of water. The water has to be cool but not too much, much less freezing, so it is not advisable to use ice cubes directly, but wrapped in a cloth or cotton cloths. Offer her water to drink and if she drinks on her perfect account, but do not force her to drink since at this time she may be unable to swallow and could drown. If he does not drink himself, wet his mouth with little water. As soon as you can, take him to the veterinarian to check that he has not suffered internal injuries.

What you should never do in these cases is to cover your pet with towels, since the heat instead of leaving will remain and gradually increase. It is also important that, as we have said, do not use ice water as this could cause damage due to the sudden change in temperature.

How to prevent heat stroke in dogs

It is good to know different things to consider and ways to prevent heat stroke in dogs, so here we detail some:

Since heat strokes occur with high temperatures or a high degree of humidity, if you are going to travel with your pet it is advisable to look at the temperatures and the environment that it will do and in this way be forewarned.
In addition, there are other environments that favor a heat stroke such as small spaces and / or poorly ventilated as it is a closed car, a room, a carrier or a balcony. It is important to have these things present when it is very hot.
Never leave your pet alone in the car with the windows closed, it could give you a very strong and severe heat stroke and even die.
Some closed balconies become authentic greenhouses, never leave your pet locked in this place.
If you are going to take it in transport, make sure it has enough ventilation and take it out from time to time and always carry water so you can hydrate.
You can also place on the floor where you are and heat damp towels or mats or cold blankets.

Avoid taking your dog for a walk in the central hours of the day, which is when the sun is higher and warmer. Better take it out early in the morning or when the sun has gone down. And if there is a lot of sun, take him in the shade. Also, look for places where you know there are sources in case the dog needs to drink or if you always have a bottle of water ready.

Water is very important at this time, since keeping your dog hydrated could avoid heat stroke. In addition, you can soak it occasionally with a little water; Not too much and not too cold.