Heat Stroke and Dehydration in Our Furry Friends

Information from www.pets.webmd.com 

~With any sign of heat stroke or dehydration get your dog to a veterinarian ASAP to be evaluated.~

With the hot temperatures outside our furry friends can get overheated easily.  Remember that any animal can be prone to heat stroke and dehydration but I am going to address dogs since that is the most common cases that are seen.  Dogs do not have the same cooling systems as humans.  Because dogs do not sweat like humans do their only method of cooling themselves is through panting and minor sweating through the pads of their feet neither of which is very effective in these hot temperatures.

Common situations that can set the stage for heat stroke in dogs include:

• Being left in a car in hot weather
• Exercising strenuously in hot, humid weather
• Being a brachycephalic breed, especially a Bulldog, Pug, Boston Terrier, or Pekingese 
  
  
  
   
   
  

• Suffering from a heart or lung disease that interferes with efficient breathing
• Being muzzled while put under a hair dryer
• Suffering from a high fever or seizures
• Being confined on concrete or asphalt surfaces
• Being confined without shade and fresh cool water in hot weather
• Having a history of heat stroke

Heat stroke begins with heavy panting and difficulty breathing.  The tongue and mucous membranes appear bright red.  The saliva is thick and the dog often vomits.  The rectal temperature rises to 104° to 110°F.  The dog becomes progressively unsteady and passes bloody diarrhea.  As shock sets in, the lips and mucous membranes turn gray.  Collapse, seizures, coma, and death rapidly ensue.

 

Treatment: Emergency measures to cool the dog must begin at once.  Move the dog out of the source of heat, preferably into an air-conditioned building.  Take his rectal temperature every 10 minutes.  Mild cases may be resolved by moving the dog into a cool environment.

 

If the rectal temperature is above 104°F, begin rapid cooling by spraying the dog with a garden hose or immersing him in a tub of cool water (not ice water) for up to two minutes.  Alternatively, place the wet dog in front of an electric fan.  Cool packs applied to the groin area may be helpful, as well as wiping his paws off with cool water.  Monitor his rectal temperature and continue the cooling process until the rectal temperature falls below 103°F.  At this point, stop the cooling process and dry the dog.  Further cooling may induce hypothermia and shock.

 

Following an episode of heat stroke, take your dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible.  Heat stroke can be associated with laryngeal edema.  This seriously worsens the breathing problem and may require an emergency tracheostomy.
Other consequences of hyperthermia include kidney failure, spontaneous bleeding, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.  These complications can occur hours or days later or it is imperative that your dogs be checked by a veterinarian.

Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when a dog loses body fluids faster than he can replace them.  Dehydration usually involves the loss of both water and electrolytes.  In dogs, the most common causes of dehydration are severe vomiting and diarrhea.  Dehydration can also be caused by inadequate fluid intake, often associated with fever and severe illness.  A rapid loss of fluids also occurs with heat stroke.
A prominent sign of dehydration is loss of skin elasticity.  When the skin along the back is pulled up, it should spring back into place.  In a dehydrated animal, the skin stays up in a ridge. 

 

Another sign of dehydration is dryness of the mouth.  The gums, which should be wet and glistening, become dry and tacky.  The saliva is thick and tenacious.  In an advanced case, the eyes are sunken and the dog exhibits signs of shock, including collapse.
Treatment: A dog who is visibly dehydrated should receive immediate veterinary attention, including intravenous fluids, to replace fluids and prevent further loss.
For mild dehydration, if the dog is not vomiting you can give him an electrolyte solution by bottle or syringe into the cheek pouch.  Balanced electrolyte solutions for treating dehydration in children, such as Ringer’s lactate with 5 percent dextrose in water or Pedialyte solution, are available at drugstores and are also suitable for dogs.  Gatorade is another short-term substitute to help replace fluids.  Administer the solution at a rate of 2 to 4 ml per pound (1 to 2 ml per kilo) of body weight per hour, depending on the severity of the dehydration (or as directed by your veterinarian).