Thursday, June 25, 2015

Canine Heatstroke Prevention | by Meredith Witherspoon



Guest writer, Meredith Witherspoon's beloved pet, Dawson

It’s that time of year again! 

The kids are out of school, and it is summertime in North Carolina. The weather is hot and very humid. There are lots of fun activities for your whole family to participate in. Including fun activities involving your canine family pet. Participating in family cook outs, going swimming, boating at the lake, and taking (much needed) vacations. Then of course the many errands to the store and other places that you will have to leave your dog in the car. You then tell yourself, “I won’t be too long”, but how long is too long? I did an experiment before writing this article to see how much the temperature increases in a vehicle in only twenty minutes. From 2:35-2:55 p.m., the outside temperature was 91.4°F and the car temperature was 113.4°F in direct sunlight. I then experimented with the same vehicle in complete shade. The outside temperature was the same as before, 91.4°F, and the car temperature was 105.4°F. So, even if the car was in the direct shade with the windows cracked for 20 minutes, the dog would overheat at a temperature of 106°F!

Dr. Swanner of Creekside Animal Clinic answered some of my questions about canine heatstroke and the warning signs. How many cases of heatstroke have you experienced? Dr. Swanner replied, “I have seen dozens in my medical career, mostly during the summer months. Some of these unfortunately did not end well. When a dog or cat gets over heated and cannot cool down, major organ failure can occur.” What are the symptoms of heatstroke? “When dogs get overheated, their first action is to drink water and pant. If they cannot cool down, they start to pant excessively, the heart rate rises and they stumble/become disoriented, and abnormal gum color (dark red to purple) can also be seen. Soon, if the body temperature cannot be lowered, then unconsciousness/convulsions and death can occur.” Can a dog recover from heatstroke? “If pet owners notice these symptoms and seek immediate medical attention, then the dog may recover. To treat heatstroke, we cool the patient down slowly by a combination of IV fluids and other active cooling methods.” What would be your recommendations to prevent heatstroke? “Never leave a dog in a vehicle. If it is an outdoor dog, make sure it has access to plenty of water in the shade. If you have breeds such as a pug, boxer or bulldog (the short nose breeds), avoid long periods outdoors during the warm parts of the day since they are very vulnerable to overheating. Try to limit exercise and walks to early morning hours and late evening when it is cooler and have plenty of water breaks. If a dog does get heatstroke, hose them down with a garden hose and put them in the car with the A.C. on high and bring them to a nearby veterinary clinic. Do not try to treat heatstroke at home – this is an emergency.”

I can’t count the number of times I have seen a dog in a vehicle, in direct sun with the windows slightly cracked in a store parking lot, or outside with little shade or water. If you want to take your dog out in the summer, please make sure that you have cold water for your dog and remember to turn the A.C. on in the car and to park it in the shade! I also found a link to 19 dog friendly stores http://barkpost.com/dog-friendly-stores/. Being informed about the dangers of heat stroke and the many ways to prevent it could save your family pets life.

Meredith is the daughter of Adam & Valerie Witherspoon (Shiloh K9 Dog Training Services LLC). She has been working with all types of animals since she was five years old. Meredith is currently working towards becoming a Registered Nurse, BSN.

No comments:

Post a Comment