If your Pet is Overheated

[ginnafer]

A heat stroke is life threatening if not caught in time, so learn the symptoms and if it happens you will be better prepared to care for your pet. Timing is very important, so the quicker the symptoms are recognized the quicker you can cool your dog and get them veterinary care.

Recognize the Symptoms
May include some or all of the following:
-Heavy panting
-Glazed eyes
-Rapid pulse
-Unsteady, staggering gait
-A red or purple tongue

Signs of dehydration may include some or all of the following:
-Heavy panting
-Hyperventilation or deep breathing
-Increased slobbering and dry gums later

As the dog progresses to a heat stroke, the signs usually include:
-Paleness
-Weakness
-Vomiting
-Diarrhea
-Shallow breathing
-Slowed or absent breathing
-Seizures or a coma (at worst)

Most of those symptoms will occur if you dont get your dog help and out of the sun.

Take your dog inside or in the shade as soon as you notice these symptoms. Your top priority is to cool down your dog and nothing else unless someone else is there to contact a vet. Wrap them in a cool wet towel for the ride, because timing is very important in this situation, and the sooner you get to a vet the better. Use cool (not cold!) water, cooling them down too quickly can result in lowering their temperature too much which will make them that much sicker. Ice cubes are a good choice to grab for the ride. You can also give your dog small short sips of water every few minutes if someone is with you, dont let them gulp or it will probably all come right back up. Like mentioned timing is very crucial to your pets well-being so if you live in an area where the temps are high, I would keep an emergency kit including several cold bottles of water, a tub filled with ice, and a towel, readily available if you ever need it.

A heat stroke can seriously injure or even kill your pet quickly so its very important if it does happen to treat it as the emergency it is.

There are more options available now as far as cooling vests, which are worth the investment. You can also use a wet bandanna to tie around your pet's neck, and keep a cooling pad with you. Always bring more water than you will need if you go somewhere, even if its short.

Never ever leave your pet in a parked car on a hot day, even in a shaded area the temperatures can reach 120+ degrees in just a few minutes. Its not worth risking your pets life, so leave them at home.

Animals that are at a greater risk of a heat stroke, and how to prevent one:
http://www.texasbostons.com/article_heatstroke.htm

For more information:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Boston-Ter...oke&id=2218844
http://www.ehow.com/how_2072208_trea...eated-dog.html

Most all my info came from the above sites and their worth a read so check them out.

[El Snorto]

This is a great reminder post. My Uma will lie in the sun all day if I let her so I definitely keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't get heat stroke. I'm noticing that as she gets older (she's about 16 months) she pants more in humid weather.

[Bowie]

I have been using chilly pup with Bowie. It seems to help. It is the same product only smaller as the chilly dog which Military Working Dog use in Iraq. It recharges fast and helps keep their core temp. down.

Chilly Pup video I made
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljvvj...e=channel_page

[Reba-doo]

I have been using chilly pup with Bowie. It seems to help. It is the same product only smaller as the chilly dog which Military Working Dog use in Iraq. It recharges fast and helps keep their core temp. down.

Chilly Pup video I made
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljvvj...e=channel_page

That is awesome, where can i get one of those?

[I love joey and scout]

This Is such a good post! I live In florida so summer Is REALLY hot! Today I was 104* we like to keep the dogs active even during the summer so when we go hiking or to the dog park We alwyas bring a tiny cooler with a towel and Ice so we can wrap them up when we are done!! great informatin!!

[Liberty]

Thanks for the info I always take water even to the local park and ruffwear do a great coat the you soak and as the water evaporates the dog cools down

http://www.ruffwear.com/Swamp-Cooler...from-Ruff-Wear

[Reba-doo]

Thats pretty cool, what size did you end up getting?

[silvercorvette]

My dogs don't like to be left alone so I usually take them with me where ever I go. Sometimes I have no choice but to leave them in the car even though it gets hot in SC summers. It is not big deal to leave them in the car for 5 minutes or less but anything longer I lock the car with the engine running and the A/C on. I bet that the gas burned to keep the dogs comfortable adds up to less than a dollar each time I leave them locked in the car . The funny thing is that I love the heat and never used the A/C in my car until the temps got into the high 90s. But when I got the first dog I could tell the heat was effecting him in a bad way so now I keep the AC on even if the temps are only in the high 70's

[VeinofStars]

I have been using chilly pup with Bowie. It seems to help. It is the same product only smaller as the chilly dog which Military Working Dog use in Iraq. It recharges fast and helps keep their core temp. down.

Chilly Pup video I made
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljvvj...e=channel_page

Thanks for the awesome videos! Really enjoyed watching you train Bowie to sit in the pan, too. Amazing how Bostons love figuring out what their person wants.

[Ceisdsgil]

This is a good reminder. Thank you for posting. Animals are quicker to suffer the consequences of heat-stroke than most humans, I believe, because they are smaller, leaner and often more active.

~ceisdsgil