Is it hot outside, and is your dog panting excessively? Then it is quite possible that your dog is experiencing heatstroke, especially if it is also showing any of the following symptoms:
- drooling
- has developed reddened gums
- is nauseous and vomiting
- has diarrhea
- displaying mental dullness or loss of consciousness
- their movement has become uncoordinated
- or they have collapsed on the ground, exhausted
Heatstroke in dogs occurs when their body temperature rises and they cannot regulate their body temperature. Sweating stops, and the dog cannot cool its body down.
Heatstroke can come on suddenly, without warning, or it can develop slowly and gradually. Heat Stroke in dogs is a serious condition because it can result in the malfunction of multiple organs. Not forgetting the discomfort for your dog.
Extreme environmental temperatures can cause various problems in your dog, which include heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat cramps, and heat rash. If left untreated, these problems can be fatal for your dog.
The three main environmental causes of heat stroke are extreme weather conditions, such as summer heat waves. When dogs are left in a vehicle with windows closed – even during warm days in winter can be enough to cause heat stroke.
Likewise, if the thermostat setting is too high in a closed-up apartment, this can also cause heat stroke in dogs. And while rare, it does happen more than most dog owners realize.
But you don’t need to worry. With proper knowledge about the problem and timely management, you can help your dog avoid this problem in the first place and recover fully if it falls prey to heatstroke.
This article will be a valuable guide for you to understand heatstroke in dogs thoroughly.
Signs of Heatstroke in Dogs
As mentioned earlier, signs of heatstroke can appear without warning, or it may develop slowly. Therefore, it is important for all dog owners to know the signs of heatstroke so they can act immediately to reduce the serious effects.
A dog suffering from heatstroke can show one or more of the following signs. If you notice these signs in your dog, take action immediately.
Elevated body temperature
Use a rectal thermometer (I will cover how to use a Rectal thermometer in another article) to observe your dog’s temperature; if it exceeds 140, this is the primary sign of heatstroke.
Altered mental state or behavior
The following mental states can be the result of heat stroke in your pet.
- Restlessness
- Disorientation
- Seizures
- Stupor
- Coma
Alteration in sweating
If you observe unusual sweating of your dog during warm weather and your dog feels hot, and the skin is dry on touching, it probably means that your dog is suffering from heat stroke.
However, it is also important to note that sunstroke caused by exercise in hot weather may result in slightly wet or dry skin on touching.
Nausea and vomiting
If your dog is nauseous and vomiting, and experiencing other symptoms of heatstroke, then take action immediately. The combination of nausea, vomiting, and heatstroke can cause serious health issues due to electrolyte loss. See your vet ASAP.
Rapid breathing
Another symptom that your dog may be experiencing heatstroke is if their breathing rate has increased or declined along with their heart rate.
Your dog’s pulse inclines as sunstroke stress puts pressure on the heart to aid in decreasing your dog’s overall body temperature.
Some uncommon signs of heatstroke include:
- brain swelling
- kidney malfunction
- bleeding from the intestines
- and unusual blood clotting,
but these can only be detected by veterinary professionals. This is why it is so important to seek help from a vet ASAP.
Things to do if the dog is suffering from heatstroke
If you think your dog is suffering from heat stroke, immediately consult a vet or take your dog to the closest veterinary hospital.
On your way to the hospital, travel with open car windows or a running air conditioner.
If, for some obscure reason, you can’t reach a vet or veterinary hospital (because there isn’t one handy or they are closed), it would be best if you did the following:
- Quickly put your dog in a cooler environment.
- Provide cool water for drinking, and encourage your dog to drink as much without force.
- Place a wet towel soaked in cold water on your dog’s back to lower the temperature.
- If you observe your dog’s temperature dropping, bathe him with tap water and keep him under a fan.
- NOTE: Using aspirin without a vet’s approval is prohibited for decreasing the body temperature because it may result in serious medical issues.
First aid for heatstroke in dogs
After arriving at the veterinary hospital, vets will look at your dog’s condition and heatstroke severity before initiating the treatment.
The treatment may take several days, depending on the severity of the heatstroke. Heatstroke treatments will vary depending on the severity but may include one or more of the following:
- To reduce body temperature and dehydration, intravenous fluids are administered.
- Immediate cooling of body temperature if the temperature is higher than normal.
- Wet the paws and ears frequently.
- Wet the fur of the dog.
- If your dog finds breathing difficult, anesthesia or intubation of airway techniques can be used.
- Therapy of oxygen if its concentration is low in the blood.
- To test the clotting, functioning of organs, dehydration, and to assess the response of the treatment, blood tests may be carried out.
- If your dog is vomiting or nauseating gastric treatment can simultaneously be initiated.
Risk factors
Following are the factors that put your dog at a higher risk of suffering from heat stroke:
● Congenital conditions
● Respiratory problems
● Brachycephalic dogs (dogs have short noses) are at a higher risk of getting heatstroke
● a car parked in the sun
● Thick fur
● Unavailability of cold water
● Leaving the dog unattended in a house in hot weather
● Excessive exercise
● Less ventilated house
● Obesity
How to prevent heat stroke in dogs?
Heatstroke in dogs is a significant problem during the summer months when temperatures rise to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It might not seem as dangerous, but it can cause death in pets.
And as I mentioned above, heatstroke can also be caused because the thermostat setting is too high in a closed environment during winter.
There are many ways you can prevent heat stroke in dogs. For example:
Morning and evening walk
Most, if not all, dogs require daily exercise to stay fit and healthy, mentally and physically. However, trying to train a dog, playing in the yard, or going on a walk during the heat of the day during summer is not always comfortable nor wise for a dog or its owner.
The best time to walk a dog during hot weather is early morning or late afternoon, or early evening when the heat of the sun has diminished – usually, but not always, just before sunrise or after sunset. Which, by and large, is when I walk my dogs.
In addition to not being as hot at this time of day, there are usually fewer people and dogs about, which can sometimes be an advantage and makes walking the dog a more enjoyable experience – unless you enjoy meeting and talking to people 🙂
You may also be able to plan your walk to be under the cover of shop awnings or tree-lined streets and parks. One of my favorite walks is along a street almost covered entirely by trees on one side and sheltered by shop awnings on the other.
And remember that your dogs’ paws, while somewhat as tough as leather, are actually quite sensitive and can only take so much heat from the pavement. So you need to ensure that you protect your dogs’ paws by not forcing them to walk on hot pavements.
One rule of thumb is to place your palm on the pavement, and if you can hold it there for 3 seconds without burning the skin, then it should be safe for your dog.
Water availability
Make sure that your dog always has access to fresh cool water 24/7. Change your dog’s water frequently (don’t just top it up, replace it with fresh water each time) so that water does not go stale – and prevent waterborne diseases from developing, as can happen in warm climates.
Drinking lots of fresh cool water improves the heat-removing mechanism of your dog’s body, and it removes excess body heat and prevents heat stroke in your pets.
PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Multi Pet Drinking Fountain (Amazon.com)
Keep your dog indoors
If you keep your dog outdoors on a lawn or in a dog house, move them indoors. The outside temperature puts the dogs at higher risk of heatstroke, no matter how much you try to keep your dog cool.
Move them inside and provide them with a room with a fan or air conditioner facility. If your dog is brachycephalic, like a pug or French bulldog, it puts them at a higher risk than other dogs to have heatstroke as they cannot pant efficiently.
If, for whatever reason, you are unable to bring your dog inside the house, then you need to ensure that they have a well-ventilated and shaded area for them to rest.
Avoid excessive exercise
Avoid strenuous exercise during the heat of summer. Because doing strenuous exercise during summer causes the body to work overtime to remove heat from the body. During the heat of the summer months, it becomes difficult for the body to do thermoregulation, eventually leading to heatstroke.
Thermoregulation is the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different.
Wikipedia
So if you want to keep your dog fit and healthy, take him on a walk in the early morning or late evening, as we discussed, because you do not want your furry friend to be in trouble. Right?
Avoid keeping the dog in a parked car
If you are going somewhere with your dog, make sure that you take your dog inside, too, because keeping them in a parked car is nothing but dangerous for them and exposes them to the threat of heatstroke.
The glass of car windows takes in heat, and if there is no cooling system running, excessive heat can be lethal for your dog.
Related article Traveling With Your Dog in The Car
Leaving a dog unattended
Please do not leave your dog alone in the house in the summer. It is essential to keep an eye on your dog from time to time to ensure he is doing okay.
Likewise, the winter months can be just as dangerous if the thermostat is left on too high. So please be vigilant to the ambient air temperature, regardless of the time of year.
The PetSafe Drinkwell Original Automatic Dog Water Dispenser (Amazon.com)
How long does it take for a dog to die from heat stroke?
Heat stroke is a serious condition, but it is rarely fatal. If you know the signs of heatstroke and act immediately, your dog can recover fully.
But if the dog is neglected, the condition will worsen with time. In some cases, it may lead to the death of the dog.
There is no fixed prognosis of heatstroke, and there’s definitely no fixed time for recovery or death of an affected dog. That is why it is important to be aware of the symptoms of heatstroke, particularly during the summer months. And at all times of the year if you use air conditioning all year round.
In severe cases, heatstroke can kill a dog in as little as 15 minutes.
FAQs
Q1: Can a dog recover from heat stroke?
Yes.
Q2: What is the treatment for heat stroke?
Heatstroke in dogs is a very serious condition. Take your dog to the vet immediately and do what you can to cool your dog’s body temperature.
Your vet will usually administer instant oxygen if your dog has difficulty breathing. Sometimes, alcohol pads are rubbed on the paws to help dilate the pores and help with the sweating process for thermoregulation.
The vet also gives anti-seizure medications if seizures are observed in the dog.
Q3: What are the causes of heatstroke?
Heatstroke in dogs is caused by “hyperthermia,” and there are many conditions that can cause heatstroke, i.e., leaving a dog in a parked car, unavailability of cool water, keeping a dog outside, excessive running, and exercise, etc.
Q4: What temperature causes heatstroke in dogs?
Usually, the temperature above 106 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius) indicates hyperthermia in your dog.
Q5: What are the signs of heatstroke in dogs?
Early signs of heatstroke include increased panting and breathing and more drooling than usual. The gums become bright red. The paws and ears are too hot when touched. Heart rate is increased, and dehydration is seen. In severe cases of heatstroke, the dog suffers from seizures and often collapses.
Final Words
Heatstroke is a serious condition that can cause severe health issues for your dog if undetected and left untreated.
If your dog is left outside without shelter from the sun and access to fresh cool water, you are increasing the risk that your dog will experience heatstroke.
You can minimize the risk of heatstroke by ensuring that your dog has a well-ventilated and shady area to rest in with plenty of fresh cool water.
And if worst comes to worst and your dog shows signs of heat stroke, get to a vet ASAP.
Related articles
3 Ways to Check the Temperature of a Dog