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It's getting super hot in this part of the world and with a heatwave predicted across different parts of the country in the coming weeks, it's time to stay safe and keep our dogs safe too.
Heat stroke can be life threatening for our dogs. This happens when our dogs' internal temperature rises up too fast. They can "heat up" and that can cause a series of complications for our dogs' health and life.
One of the big misconceptions about heat strokes is that it can only happen if the dog is extremely active during hot periods - but that's absolutely not true. A dog could be sitting on the floor and heating up as well.
So how do you recognise heat stroke in dogs?
If your dog is heating up, they are likely to show the following symptoms:
Excessive panting and/drooling
Lethargy, drowsiness
Abnormal colouring of gums
Inability to move
Vomiting or diarrhoea
In extreme cases, even seizures
What do you do if your dog shows these symptoms?
First things first, you have to immediately bring them to a cool and shaded spot
Pour cool or room temperature water over them - this is to bring down the temperature gradually
Provide access to fresh drinking water (room temp again), you can offer water with a spoon but don't force feed
Do NOT pour cold water - the body could go into shock
Avoid pouring water around or over the head in case it enters the nasal passages
Avoid using cold towels on the dog - this traps the heat and doesn't actually bring the temperature down
Keep pouring water till you see your dog's breathing return to normal; you can also monitor the dog's temperature using a rectal thermometer
Remember we need to stop pouring the water as soon as we feel the dog's feeling slightly better - avoid overdoing it and causing shivers in your dog
Once your dog's breathing has returned to normal, immediately rush to the vet
Once at the clinic, your veterinarian will prescribe the treatment protocol based on your dog's condition.
Now, there must be some ways to prevent all of this from happening. What are they?
As they say, prevention is better than cure and this is true in this case too. A couple of things that you can do to prevent your dogs from heating up:
Create cool and shaded spots in the house
Drawing the blinds or curtains during peak hours can be really helpful
Move those rugs and mats away - let your dogs access the floor to lie down and cool themselves
Provide access to fresh drinking water at all times
Keep your dogs hydrated - bone broth, kefir, goat's milk, coconut water, buttermilk - these are all good options to include for hydration
Avoid going outdoors during peak hours - keep walks and sniffaris super short
Do more indoor enrichment if your dog is up for that
Avoid enclosed or poorly ventilated areas during peak hours
Check the temp of the ground before you go out for walks - if it's too hot, skip going outdoors altogether. Dogs can easily burn their paws on extremely heated surfaces!
A special note on food and eating habits
You might notice your dog preferring to eat their meals at a later/before time - be responsive to those preferences.
With the meals itself, you can make them soupy if your dog prefers that; add cooling foods and proteins, offer smaller meals through the day if that's your dog's preference.
Avoid feeding anything cold or frozen - this could be hard to digest in the hart and may cause your dog to vomit or regurgitate.
If you notice your dog refusing to eat meals for 12 hours and more and showing other symptoms mentioned above, do visit the vet to rule out a serious condition.
Hope you found this article helpful! Stay safe, indoors and cool. And so share this with other dog parents.
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