Preventing Heat Stroke in Dogs

A sunny day in the park can be a perfect day for your dog. They seem happy, making new friends, running with their tongue hanging out and dripping with slobber. But, the question is:

-Does your dog know when is time to stop? The answers is: No!

The dogs just keep on going and they don’t feel the effects of overheating. You should take the responsibility and know when to stop. Take your dog to a cool area and give him plenty of cool water.

Dogs also love car rides, but should never be left alone inside a parked car.

Dogs do not sweat, they cool themselves through panting. Intense panting is also a factor in dehydration. When the dog begins to get too hot, his breathing increases to panting. When the body heat climbs fast and the system is not able to cool itself quickly enough, heat stroke is the result and it can be very dangerous for your pet. Organ failure and death can occur very quickly if the animal’s body temperature isn’t reduced. Even if the dog recovers, some organ damage can be irreversible.

Some signs of serious overheating: rapid panting, drooling saliva, wide eyes, lack of coordination, diarrhea, vomiting, coma.

To cool an overheated dog you can place him in cool water (not cold), air conditioning, wet his tongue, turn on a fan, or offer small amounts of cool water if the dog is conscious. When the temperatures reduces to around 104F or 103F, cooling methods can be stopped. Take the dog to a veterinarian to determine if he needs further treatment.