What is heat stroke?
Heat stroke occurs when your pet’s temperature rises
above normal because of the environment. Usually this condition occurs
when pets are left in unattended cars or strenuously exercised. Because
pets do not sweat, they can become over-heated
very quickly.
What are signs of heat stroke?
Pets that are over-heated will often pant excessively
and seem weak. They may not want to move around much and in some
instances will actually collapse from heat exhaustion. The most tell-tale
sign that a pet has heat stroke is to take his/her temperature. Normal
temperature is 100-102.5 degrees. Patients suffering from heat stroke
often have temperatures of 104 degrees or higher!
What can I do if I think my pet has heat stroke?
Although it is tempting, if you think your pet has heat
stroke, do not pour cold water on them or immerse them into cold water.
This can cool them too quickly. It is better to lay moist towels (
moistened with cool water or room temperature water) and lay them on your
pet while you contact a veterinarian.
How is heat stroke treated?
Treatment initially consists of cooling your pet down.
This is done most effectively with IV fluids and controlled cooling by a
veterinarian. Heat stroke can also affect other organs in the body; such
as the kidneys, liver, stomach and blood clotting system. Because of its
multi-organ effect, monitoring blood tests and maintenance on IV fluids
may need to be continued over several days.
What is the best way to protect my pet from heat
stroke?
NEVER leave your pet in an
unattended car. Even if it may not feel hot outside, the temperature
inside the car can reach extremely high temperatures very quickly (as
short as 5-10 minutes!) Leaving the windows slightly open does not allow
enough ventilation, and as a result, the temperature will still rise
rapidly inside the car.
It is also a good idea to plan your pet’s activities.
Do not allow a lot of exercise during the afternoon, when it is the
hottest. When exercising you pet, make sure that there is plenty of
fresh, cool water and that you take breaks during strenuous exercise. If
you anticipate that your pet may be walking on a hot surface (such as
pavement or concrete), paw protection (boots or adhesive film) is also
recommended to prevent heat injury to the foot pads.
