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A Cool Dog is a Healthy Dog
Spring and Summer in California bring family fun, time outdoors, and
vacations but also bring high temperatures that can cause problems for people
and their pets. While a person will be able to tell you they are feeling hot or
over-heated, your pet can not. TBF wanted to take this opportunity before
the heat arrives to talk about heat exhaustion, heat stroke and how to prevent it.
People usually prepare themselves for the dangers of increased temperatures. A trip to the
beach often includes a cooler filled with softdrinks, ice and such. If you plan on including
your pet in summer activities, please plan for him as well. Our canine companions need
special attention to insure that they don't get burned. Dr. Kathy Gaughan, a veterinarian at
Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, says that the next few months
bring an increased danger of heat exhaustion and heat stroke especially for dogs.
How Dogs Stay Cool
 People naturally regulate their body temperature by sweating. According to
Gaughan, dogs mainly cool themselves by panting -- breathing in through the
nose and out through the mouth. This directs air over the mucous membranes of the tongue, throat and trachea (windpipe) to facilitate cooling by
evaporation of fluid on these membranes. Other mechanisms that help to
dissipate heat include dilation of the blood vessels in the skin of the face, ears and feet.
However, just like people, dogs can become overheated. Gaughan says that a dog's
normal body temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If it rises to 105 or 106
degrees, the dog is at risk for developing heat exhaustion. If the body temperature rises to
107 degrees, Gaughan says that the dog has entered the dangerous zone of heat stroke.
"With heat stroke, the damage that can be done is irreversible. Organs start to shut down,
and a veterinarian should be called immediately," Gaughan said.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion and you could save your pet's life.
The best way to stay away from heatstroke is to be informed about the problem. Monitor
your pet while exercising and on hot days. Become familiar with your dog's normal reaction
to the heat and exercise. Fortunately, if owners recognize heat exhaustion, they can prevent
the dog from entering heat stroke. Gaughan says that people can easily recognize when the
heat gets to them because they become lightheaded and fail to sweat. For dogs, the signs
of heat exhaustion may include failure to salivate and a dry mouth. Gaughan explains that
heat exhaustion may also include a dog lying down and looking tired, losing its appetite, and becoming unresponsive to owners.
Heat Stroke
If heat exhaustion progresses into heat stroke, Gaughan says that the dog will be hot to
touch and may have seizures. Many dogs also have internal blood clotting that causes
damage to their organs. "If you think it's heat stroke, call your veterinarian if you're close to
a phone. If not, get the dog out of the sun and cool the dog down with cool water baths.
It's important to use cool water as opposed to ice water. Provide a fan, especially if you
wet the dog down, and encourage it to drink water," Gaughan suggests. Heat stroke can
be associated with swelling of the throat. This aggravates the problem. A cortisone
injection by your veterinarian may be required to treat this. If the condition is allowed to go
unchecked, the dog becomes unsteady and staggers, has diarrhea that often is bloody and becomes progressively weaker. Coma and death ensue.
Prevention is the key
Dr. Gaughan says that the best treatment for heat stroke/exhaustion is prevention. Before we discuss what to do in an emergency, h
ere are some other tips to keep your dog cool this summer, and to avoid a heartbreaking situation.
- Allowing a dog to remain in a car with closed windows on a hot summer day is probably the most common cause of heat stroke.
Do not leave dogs in a car during the summer for any reason whatsoever. Even with the windows down,
temperatures inside a car can quickly rise to above 120 degrees. Leaving your dog
cooped in a hot car is a sure way to bring on heat stroke. A hot car is like an oven,
with temperatures that can rise an astounding 34°F per minute! People have been
known to break windows to retrieve dogs in danger from hot cars, if they don't do it
themselves, the Humane Society most assuredly will. Look into doggie daycare if
you are planning on being gone a full day. Most vet clinics will happily board your dog for the day while you run errands.
- Keep dogs indoors, in air conditioning, if at all possible on very hot days.
 Water is essential to dogs, never more so during summer heat.
Make sure your dog has lots of clean, cool water, within easy reach at all times.- Make sure outdoor dogs have plenty of shade to relax in. Being confined on concrete runs is especially dangerous. Take special
care with puppies.
- Exercise dogs early in the morning or late in the evening, or indoors in an air-conditioned environment if possible. Dogs don't know when to
quit when they are having fun. It is up to us to watch for stress signals
(heavy breathing, excessive panting) and put a halt to play when it gets to be too much.
- Crate a dog only in an open wire cage.
- If your dog enjoys water, provide a sprinkler or wading pool on very warm days.
Spray water on the dog and place it in a breeze or beside a fan. However, if heat
exhaustion or heat stroke has set in, take more aggressive measures to cool the dog.
- If you take the dog to a lake, make sure it is allowed time to drink plenty of water
and get wet. Dr. Gaughan says that most dogs can drink lake water without adverse
effects. If the dog has a light coat or exposed skin, be careful of sunburn.
- According to Dr. Gaughan, dogs can acclimate to warm climate and have no trouble
staying outdoors in the heat. However, dogs that are used to cool climate or air
conditioning should not be placed outside on warm days. Gradual acclimation is the key.
To Shave or not to Shave
In order to prevent overheating, some owners may opt to shave their dogs. However, Dr.
Gaughan explains that this isn't always the best option. "Not all dogs have to be shaved
because the hair coat can also keep the dog cool by trapping cool air next to the animals
skin and reducing the amount of heat transferred from the environment," Gaughan said.
Dogs with long or thick coats that have problems with matted hair are often good
candidates for clipping. "Owners that do not have time to adequately remove mats and
debris from their dog's coat may prefer to clip the coat short. Matted hair can cause skin
irritation and is undesirable," Gaughan said. For owners who haven't shaved a dog before,
Gaughan recommends taking it to a groomer and learning by observation. If the dog is
outdoors often, owners need to be careful of sunburn. Gaughan says that sunscreen may
be applied, but to consult with a veterinarian before doing so.
What to do if you suspect heat exhaustion
The most important thing is to get the dog's temperature down! Your dog is suffering from
too much heat, so it is your job to cool your dog down. Be careful not to introduce
extreme shifts in temperature. For instance, do not throw your dog into a tub of ice water
(the blood vessels will constrict and heat can not escape). Sever temperature shifts can be as dangerous, if not more, than the original problem.
To cool your dog down, try one of the following. If your dog is suffering, this may take as little as a couple of minutes:
- If your dog is showing the first signs of heat exhaustion, rapid breathing, rapid heart
rate, the first thing you must do is remove him from the confining area. Nine times
out of ten, heat exhaustion occurs while the dog is confined, whether it is in a car, crate, or doghouse.
- Take the dog to shade immerse your dog in cool water in the bathtub, kid's swimming pool, sink, etc. Do NOT
use extremely cold or iced water. This will cause blood vessels to constrict and will stop the heat from escaping.
- Hose down your dog with a garden hose that was allowed to run a couple of minutes
- Use water soaked towels on your dog's head, neck, chest, and abdomen to cool these areas. Resoak the towels as they heat up. However, do not
cover your dog completely with a wet towel, this will stop the heat from escaping, especially as the
towel absorbs the heat from your dog keeping him warm.
- Allow your dog to have some fresh cool water Give your dog enough water to wet his mouth and throat, but do NOT
allow your dog to drink copious amounts!
- Turn on the air conditioner or fan and place your dog in front of it, You can apply
ice packs to the areas underneath his front legs, and to the groin area for rapid
blood cooling but remember there is also a danger that dog can become too cold.
Monitor the temperatures and stop the cooling process as soon as your dog's temperature returns to normal again.
- Continue to take your dog's temperature, this is done anally to get the most accurate reading.
- Prepare your dog for transport to the nearest emergency animal clinic. Do NOT
 place him back in his crate, but keep him with you, with
windows down and air conditioning on high, to allow evaporation which will aid in the cooling process.
Even if your dog's temperature returns to normal, it is still advisable to see your
veterinarian and have them checked out. Heatstroke can lead to several serious long-term problems.
What to do for Heat Stroke
 This IS an EMERGENCY!
Even at the earliest stage of heat stroke, you may be fighting for your dog's life. You must get him to a
veterinarian as soon as possible. Symptoms can be followed in minutes by collapse, seizures, coma and death.
Check your dog's temperature rectally if you suspect heatstroke. Normal body
temperature in dogs is higher than in humans (99.5 to 102.5 F as compared to 98.6 F).
If your dog's temperature is over 105 F, call your veterinarian now and remove your dog from the heat source immediately.
Meanwhile, place your dog in a cool water bath. Do not use ice because it may cause skin injury.
Learn more – get the medical specifics
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