Dog Heatstroke Symptoms and First Aid
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How to Identify and Treat A Canine Case of Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a result of to much heat and not enough fluids in the body. Dogs can’t sweat in the same capacity that we do, having only Eccrine Glands in their feet and noses to sweat with, this means that the only real means available for dogs to dissipate excess body heat is through panting, which is essentially exchanging the ambient air temperature with the hotter air in their bodies. This means that dogs are many times more susceptible to heat stroke than humans.
The normal body temperature for a dog is between 100-102 degrees Fahrenheit when a dog is unable to adequately cool it’s body fast enough their temperature will rise beyond this point placing them at risk for either a moderate or severe heatstroke. A moderate heatstroke is considered to occur when the body temperature is between 104-106 degrees Fahrenheit while a severe heatstroke would be considered to be anything over 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
You need to closely monitor the dogs in your care for the following symptoms if they have been actively playing in a warm environment. As soon as you notice what you believe to be the symptoms of heat stroke, you need to stop whatever you are doing and get an accurate core temperature via rectal thermometer and begin first aid if required.
Moderate Canine Heatstroke
Body temperature of 104 to 106 F.
Rapid panting.
Bright red tongue and gums
Thick, sticky saliva
Decrease in coordination
Dazed, distant look while panting excessively
Severe Canine Heatstroke
Body temperature above 106 F
Pale gums
Weakness
Dizziness
Shock
Bloody vomiting
Inability to stand
Loss of Coordination
Bumping into Walls or objects while trying to walk
Collapse
Non Responsive Appearance
Dog Heatstroke First Aid
Stop the dogs current activity and take it to a shady cool place or inside the air conditioned building.
Gently run cool water over the pets body and encourage them to drink, concentrate on the top of the head and front of the neck to cool the blood going to the brain and cool the air that the are inhaling and exhaling.
If you have a wading pool, tub or similar apparatus at your disposal submerge the dog in cool water up to the top of the shoulders and continue to use cool running water on the head and front of the neck. Always use cool or lukewarm water, never freezing as this may send the pet into shock and further worsen the situation.
Check the dogs temperature via rectal thermometer every 5 minutes to ensure that their core temperature is lowering.
As soon as you have stabilized the dogs condition seek veterinary attention to ensure that the vital organs suffered no permanent damage.
The reason that you seek veterinary treatment after stabilizing the dog is that with a condition such as heatstroke the first priority is to lower the bodies core temperature to a normal level before permanent injury to vital organs or death occurs. This is a time critical condition and one that needs to be dealt with immediately. Do not delay in treatment so you can load the dog into the car, drive to the vet, have the vet assess the situation and then begin treatment. The dog may suffer additional damage because precious time that could have been used to stabilize the dogs core temperature was wasted driving to the vet.
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