Heat Stroke

Brought to you by Peterborough West Animal Hospital:

It’s great to enjoy summer with your pet. But, it’s also the time when they have the greatest risk of injury and heat-related health problems. At Peterborough West Animal Hospital our main focus is to keep your pet healthy and happy and make sure you get as much time with your loved one as possible! For more comprehensive tips on summer pet care, check out our article on Help Keep Your Pets Cool This Summer. Here are some tips on keeping things cool this summer.

One preventable condition we want to caution people about is hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is a term describing an elevation in body temperature. This increase typically occurs as a response to a trigger, such as a hot environment. When a dog is exposed to high temperatures, heat stroke or heat exhaustion can result. Heat stroke is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Once the signs of heat stroke are detected, there is precious little time before serious damage – or even death – can occur.

Dogs do not sweat through their skin like humans – they release heat primarily by panting and they sweat through the foot pads and nose. If a dog cannot effectively expel heat, the internal body temperature begins to rise. Once the dog’s temperature reaches 41 degrees C (106 F), damage to the body’s cellular system and organs may become irreversible.

Here are a few tips from Peterborough West Animal Hospital to help prevent this from happening. Along with the obvious prevention of not leaving your pets in a car on a warm day be sure to:

If you suspect your dog has heat stroke it is important to bring him to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Our Emergency Veterinary Care is available for such critical situations. Before you leave, you can cool your pet by wetting him down with cool (not cold) water and increasing the air flow around him. Even if you think he is doing better, it is important to have him checked out because he can be dehydrated and this also requires immediate attention.

Contact us, your local animal hospital in Peterborough, ON!