Despite their name, the dog days of summer aren’t the best times for your canine companions to be out and about in the heat. Dogs don’t handle heat as well as humans do, so they’re very susceptible to dangerous and even life-threatening heat strokes on hot days.
If your pet is doing more than just panting and their appearance and behavior change drastically in the hot weather, they are experiencing a heat stroke and need immediate help. Here’s how to tell when your dog is experiencing one and how to help them cool down and recover from it.
Three Signs Your Dog Has Heat Stroke
Sign #1: They’re Panting Excessively
A dog has a natural, internal cooling system to help them maintain their normal body temperature of 100.5 to 102.5 degrees F (38 to 39 degrees C). On hot days, it’s normal for a dog to pant to cool off; however, the animal shouldn’t pant excessively to stay cool. If you notice your pet hanging their head low, using their abdominal muscles to breathe, and drooling excessively, your pet is becoming overheated. If their chest is rising and falling rapidly, meaning an increased heart rate, they’re experiencing a heat stroke.
Sign #2: Their Skin, Nose, and Gums Are Becoming Hot, Dry, and Discolored
When a dog’s body temperature rises above 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C), they’re at risk of heat exhaustion; when their temperature goes above 105.8 degrees F (41 degrees C), they’re having a heat stroke. During a stroke, their skin is very warm to the touch and may develop small, pinpoint bruises called petechiae; these often appear inside their ears and on the underside of their belly.
Their nose will also become dry and might start bleeding. Their gums and tongue will become dry, sticky, and dark red; as shock sets in, their gums will turn gray, blue, or purple. Since they’re likely experiencing extreme thirst, they will desperately be looking for water and shade.
Sign #3: They Have Trouble Moving Around and Controlling Their Bodily Functions
When suffering from a heat stroke, a dog’s movements become erratic. Since they feel unsteady, disoriented, and uncoordinated, their muscles will tremble, and they will stagger as they try to walk. If the heat keeps sapping at their strength, they might become lethargic, collapse, and refuse or be unable to respond or get up again.
Exposure to excessive heat can cause the animal’s organ systems to stop functioning properly. If your dog is suffering from extreme overheating, they’ll often vomit and have diarrhea; they may also experience a prolonged loss of appetite. If their condition goes untreated and gets worse, they could have seizures, enter comas, and eventually die.
What to Do If Your Dog Shows Signs
If your dog is showing any of the signs above, you need to help them cool down immediately. Walk or carry your pet to a cool, shaded area that has good air circulation. Pour cool but not cold water over your pet’s head (avoiding their face), stomach, armpits, and feet, and give them small amounts of cool water to drink. If you’re able to, place a fan near them so air flows over, evaporates the water, and draws excess heat away from their body.
If their body temperature doesn’t drop and their symptoms continue or worsen, bring your pet to the vet immediately. The vet will completely physically assess the animal, including taking their rectal temperature, doing ancillary blood tests, and conducting urinalysis, to determine whether the stroke has damaged any internal organs. Depending on the severity of the stroke, the vet will combine cooling methods, fluid therapy, and medications to treat your pet. Your pet will usually be hospitalized for one or two days to assess the effectiveness of these treatments.
Most healthy pets will recover quickly if their body temperatures haven’t gotten excessively high and they’re treated immediately. Pets who are more vulnerable to excessive heat or weren’t treated promptly may experience permanent organ damage or die from related complications in the future. Pets that experience heat stroke are often at risk of getting it again since the stroke compromised their bodies’ thermoregulatory systems.
Protect Your Dog from Heat Exhaustion
There are plenty of ways to help protect your dog from the risk of heat strokes. Keep your pet inside as much as possible on extremely hot and humid days; if you do need to let them outside, try to walk, exercise, or play with them in the usually cooler morning and evening hours. Never leave them alone in the car, even with the windows down and air conditioning on; even on cooler days, car interiors can heat up very quickly to dangerous levels.
Give your canine companion easy access to water at all times, whether it’s in a bowl at home or from a portable water bottle on the go. Since active breeds like Labrador Retrievers exert tons of energy the entire time they’re outside, no matter how hot it is, pay close attention to your dog when they’re outside walking with you or playing with other pets. This way, you can notice any signs of heat stress and get your pet whatever they need to cool down so they don’t succumb to heat stroke.
Final Thoughts
As a dog owner, you want your pet to be safe and able to enjoy the outdoors any time of year. Whenever the weather gets very hot, heat stroke poses a major risk to your canine companion; it endangers their health and life if they’re unable to effectively cool their bodies down.
Knowing how to tell the warning signs of, provide and get treatment for, and prevent the occurrence of heat strokes will help you protect your pet from its worst effects. That way, your dog can stay happy, healthy, and safe all year long.
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