Heat Stroke in Dogs

A heat stroke is one of the most severe medical condition which may hit your dog. This is the reason why, when you are aware of its symptoms, you get ample time to act and address the issue before things get out of your hands. In case you are not aware, canines do not sweat. So, on hot, humid days, when their body temperature rises, they increase their respiratory rate to get rid of the excess heat that has built up in their bodies. In some cases, dogs remain unable to pant fast enough to expel this heat. And when this happens, the body temperature shoots up to alarmingly high levels causing heat exhaustion in dogs. This is when heat stroke sets in dogs. The normal body temperature in canines is 101 F. When a heat stroke begins to set in, this temperature increases to 104-106 F. This indicates a moderate case. If the condition is not addressed with immediate medical intervention, then it does not take long for it to become severe, raising the body temperature over 106 F. In such cases, you only have a handful of minutes to save your pet's life.

Causal Factors of Heat Stroke In Canines

As it has been described in the above segment, when dogs are exposed to hot and humid conditions, they become vulnerable to be hit by a heat stroke. Being left in a hot car, exercising strenuously in hot weather, playing under direct sunlight without shade, being in a kennel outside in excessive heat, and the like, are some common causes of dogs suffering from a heat stroke. Breeds like pugs and bulldogs, due to shorter anatomy of their nose, stay more vulnerable to this condition, as they do not find it easy to increase their rate of panting, in order to lower their body temperature.

Important Symptoms

The very first symptom which is indicative of heat stroke in dogs is excessive panting. If you notice your pet to pant more than usual, it must give you enough reason to suspect that a heat stroke has started to set in. Accompanying this symptom of dog stroke, there might be others such as bright red tongue, pale discoloration of the gums, unresponsiveness when his name is called, thick saliva and vomiting. Due to obvious reasons, there would occur difficulties in breathing and heart rate would increase by a sharp rate. More severe signs of this condition may include collapsing and coma. These couple of symptoms indicate that the condition has progressed to a near-fatal stage, post which death may be the only occurrence.

Course of Treatment

As soon as you get a hint about any of these symptoms of strokes in dogs, act immediately to move your pet away from the sun and from the car. Bring him to a shady place. Soak some cloth or rags in cool water and place them on the animal, to begin the process of cooling. It is extremely important to keep in mind that ice-cold or very cold water must never be used while tackling with heat strokes in dogs. Extreme cold, instead of treating the condition, may make it worse. Using ice-cold water may constrict the blood vessels and this may actually cause the internal temperature to rise further. Moreover, exposure to extreme cold causes a fatal condition known as hypothermia. Thereafter, offer your pet a cool drink of water. Again, not ice-cold! Do not force him to drink it though. Take your pet to a vet for a checkup in case you have any doubts about his condition.

These measures help in keeping the condition of heat stroke in dogs from reaching an irreversible stage, but temporarily. So, even if your pet seems better and is not showing any of the symptoms described above, you must not ignore the importance of taking him to a vet right away. This is because, there may stay a lurking risk of internal damage which may not be visible to you.