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What to Do If Your Pet is Overheated
By: Michael Lamping, DVM
The mid-summer triple-digit thermometer readings have arrived. With
them comes the risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Pets are more
sensitive to heat exposure than you might realize. Like people, pets
become overheated once they are no longer able to protect themselves
with self-cooling measures.
Because dogs are more commonly allowed to be outside and exert
themselves during work, play, or exercise, they are seen more often for
this emergency than cats.
Very
young, old, and overweight dogs and breeds with restricted airways such
as bulldogs and pugs are at increased risk. The normal body temperature
among dog breeds varies from 100 – 102.5°F. I’ve seen several overheated dogs with critically high temperatures over 107°F. Most
pets suffering heatstroke require IV fluids and
hospitalization. Depending on the severity and duration of the heat
exposure, life-threatening complications such as shock, organ failure,
and clotting disorders can develop. Symptoms range from panting,
dehydration, and weakness, to tremors, collapse, seizures, and
coma. High heat can be deadly.
Besides physical exertion on a hot day, another common cause of
heatstroke is exposure to the rapidly climbing temperatures within
vehicles parked in the summertime sun. Like people, pets cannot tolerate
excessive car temperatures, which can rise nearly 20 degrees in 10
minutes. Leaving a pet behind in a closed auto can be disastrous. Don’t
under-estimate the swiftness and intensity of heat buildup within a
car. Cracking the windows isn’t enough.
To prevent heatstroke, provide air-conditioned relief on hot and humid
days, offer easily accessible clean water, supply shade with good
ventilation, exercise early in the morning or evening, and never leave
your pet in the car. Pets displaying symptoms of heatstroke need to be
cooled off promptly but gradually. Move them to air conditioning, offer
water for them to drink if they are able, run cool water over their
coat, and contact your veterinarian or an animal emergency hospital as
soon as you can.
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