Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke
In Arizona, spring is upon us without much notice! Therefore we must be ready to put ourselves in a new state of mind for the upcoming summer weather and for the safety of our pets! Two things we worry about most in the summer, Heat Exhaustion and Pool dangers.
First off, dogs do not sweat. Their only means to cooling off is by panting.
If panting does not reduce the body temperature he will develop Heat Stroke. The longer coat your dog has, the more heat it holds. You can clip your dog's hair coat short, but not too short as they can also get sun burn as well as it acts as an insulator.
The color of your dogs coat also has an impact on his ability to reflect the sun's rays. Black dogs of course, absorb more of the sun's rays than lighter colored coats.
What triggers Heat Exhaustion?
• age and condition of pet
- (overweight, geriatric)
• breed
• hair coat
• climate
The older dog, the younger dog and the
short muzzled (brachycephalic) are among the highest at risk. Short muzzled dogs include the Boxer, the Boston Terrier, Bulldogs, Mastiffs, Pekingese, Shihtzus,Lhasas, Pugs, and many more.
If you own a short muzzled dog, please be very careful as to how long they are outside! These dogs should remain indoor pets in the heat!
Heat Exhaustion can happen while you are out on a walk or in your own backyard.
The old saying is:
"If the sidewalk is too hot for your feet,
then it's too hot for your pet's. “
What are the first signs of Heat Exhaustion?
- Excessive Panting
- Rapid Breathing
- The skin on the inside of the ears becomes flushed and red.
Heat Exhaustion can quickly turn into Heat Stroke:
- Weakness
- Staggering
- Muscle Tremors
- Fainting and/or loss of consciousness
If your pet shows any of the signs above, you will need to try to cool him down rapidly! Hose your dog down with cool water. Apply an ice pack to the dogs head. Transport your pet to the nearest Veterinary Hospital.
Please, in the heat of the summer, limit your dog's time outside. Be sure to provide shade and have available a constant water supply.
I know that dogs like to ride in cars, or at least some of them do, but don't, even for a second, leave your dog in a parked car in the Arizona summertime!
POOL SAFETY!
People will begin to use their pools soon! Make sure that your pet is familiar with where the pool steps are. If you have a new dog or puppy from the winter months it is very important to start familiarizing them now with pool safety! They may not even know what a swimming pool is! If the pool hasn’t been used in the winter months it is easy to forget that your pet may not know what to do. Seeing his human family splashing around might entice him into jumping in. Make sure he knows what to do once he is in the pool. Dogs need to know where the steps are and how to get back out.
Welcome To Our Website!
We love and care for your pet's like our own.
24090 W. Highway 85
Buckeye, AZ 85326
(623) 386-2532
Buckeye Veterinary Services
Helen M. Ryan, D.V.M
We want your pet pictures! Would you like to see your pets picture on our website? Click below to send us and email with your pets picture (.jpg file) and we will post it on our site!
Helen M. Ryan, D.V.M
