Recognizing heat distress in pets

June 26, 11:59 PMChicago Pets ExaminerSusan NC Price

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This young dog has tail up, ears alert., no panting, eager to run. But
if he starts panting and lies down, reluctant to move, he needs cool
shade and rest before he gets seriously overheated.
 

Hot weather animal emergencies keep getting reported, so pay attention: The best method of treating pets for heat stroke is prevention. Learn to watch your pet carefully for signs of distress. Learn your pet’s response to different environments, and be careful when you take your pet into a hotter than normal environment.

Dogs do not tolerate high temperatures well. Dogs with airway disease (or breeds like pugs with short muzzles) have more trouble than most with excess heat. Heat stroke begins with rapid, frantic, noisy breathing. The tongue and mucus membranes show bright red. Saliva becomes thick and tenacious, and the dog frequently vomits. High rectal temperature, sometimes over 106 degrees F, confirms the cause of your dog’s distress. If not immediately cooled, the dog becomes unsteady and staggers, develops diarrhea (often bloody), and becomes progressively weaker, finally sinking into a coma. Death often follows, from kidney failure or brain damage.

Cats show similar symptoms, panting with mouth open, drooling, appearing weak or lying prone, vomiting or crying, sometimes showing dilated pupils. In extreme cases, seizures and unconsciousness may develop. NOTE: A warm nose is not an accurate indicator as a cat’s normal body temperature runs 100.5° to 102.5° F. A temperature of over 104° F is serious, however, while the 106°-107° F range indicates dangerous overheating. At this level, organ damage may occur. Sustained high temperatures can lead to death.

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.

For mostsituations, when you’ve noticed the overheating early, moving your pet to a cooler environment—shade, or indoors with AC—will be enough. One way to help your hot but not severely distressed pet cool down is to run cool water over your cat or dog. Keeping new, cool water moving over your pet is key here. (In a tub, water trapped in the hair coat will act as an insulator and cooling stops.) Misting your cat or dog with water may help in a dry environment with moving air.

When a dog is panting severely, only let it have a few laps of water. Once panting has slowed to more normal levels, then allow water. The dog will rehydrate it self then. If heat stroke induces bloody diarrhea, oral fluid replacement is futile—the dog will need IV therapy. So, if your pet shows the signs of severe distress listed earlier, or milder symptoms don’t abate or get worse, call your vet or an animal hospital emergency center. You may need to transport your animal to a veterinary emergency center immediately.

Remember, to keep your animal from overheating in the first place:
1. Keep animals with airway disease or impaired breathing away from prolonged heat exposure.
2. Don’t exercise pets in hot temperatures.
3. Provide shade and cool water to animals living outdoors, whether in enclosed runs or roaming more freely.

And check out my previous post, Don’t mess with the heat! Cars can be dangerous even at night—as can any other closed environment that can trap the heat.