Can Dogs Get Heat Stroke
During our physical education days in school, we have been constantly reminded about the dangers of heat stroke as well as identifying the symptoms of it. While we know that heat stroke is dangerous, do you know that dogs can also develop heat stroke? This should be common sense! Indeed, dogs can get heat stroke, especially if you leave them out under the hot sun and on asphalt flooring.
Instead of asking can dogs get heat stroke, you should be really wondering about the symptoms of heat stroke in dogs and how to prevent it from happening as this will help you learn about the steps needed to do preventive measures.
What Are The Symptoms?
The reasons why we need to be aware of the symptoms of heat stroke in dogs is simply because dogs cannot directly tell us if they are having heat stroke or not. As a loving owner, we should always be mindful of how our pets are coping under testing conditions.
Here are some of the symptoms of heat stroke in dogs.
Excessive Panting And Drooling
While is it normal for dogs to pant, it is not normal for dogs to pant excessively. If you notice that the dog is panting excessively with its tongue hanging by the side of the mouth, then it is a clear indication that your dog is suffering from heat stroke. If this happens, you should always move your dog into a sheltered place. If there is cool airflow into the area, better. If you can, let your dog have ready access to water. Sometimes, I will also try to bath my dog with cool water as it helps to bring their body temperature down.
If the weather is warm and the dog is drooling excessively, then it is also a symptom of heat stroke. The treatment will be exactly the same as when the dog is panting excessively.
Having said that, do not mistaken the regular pants and drools to symptoms of heat stroke. It is perfectly normal for dogs to pant after exercising. I can’t imagine the looks that you will get if you start to pour ice cool water onto your dog whenever it pants.
Lethargy
If you are out running with your dog, and they simply keep looking at you or if they are slowing down, then you might want to keep a look out for your dog’s body condition. Of course, if the weather is warm and your dog is showing signs of seizures or sudden loss of their usual balance, then you should really be aware that the dog might be suffering from heat stroke already.
There might be various reasons that cause the above, and one of them is that your dog’s internal organs might be damaged due to heat stroke.
Conclusion
So as you can see, dogs can get heat stroke, and there are several common symptoms that you should keep a look out for. In the next article, we will be exploring on how you could treat heat stroke in dogs.