Recognizing Heatstroke in Dogs
July 13, 2011 by Paris Permenter and John Bigley
Filed under Health, Tips
Today it was 103 degrees here, and Tiki and Irie spent almost the entire day right by the air conditioner vent. When we go out for walks, we head out first thing in the morning and wait until late evening for our second walk. Going out in the daytime heat puts them at risk–not just of burning their paw pads but of heatstroke.
We’ve received some tips from Pet Sitters International (PSI) about recognizing heat stroke, ones that are increasingly important as more locations see higher and higher temperatures. According to the Animal First Aid Chapter of PSI’s Certification Program, which was created in conjunction with Thom Somes, the Pet Safety Guy™, pets can easily suffer from heatstroke.
“High body temperatures and stress can cause a pet to go into heatstroke,” Ellen Price, PSI academic manager, said. “Heatstroke is most often caused when pets are left in a confined space with little or no ventilation during periods of warm temperatures and high humidity.”
Danger Signs
The signs of heatstroke can include:
* Uncontrollable panting
* Foaming at the mouth
* Depression
* Lethargy
* Agitation
* Vomiting
* Loss of consciousness
* Tongue and gums that turn from bright red to blue to gray
* Capillary refill time of more than two seconds
Tomorrow we’ll look at what to do if you suspect heatstroke in your dog.
About Paris Permenter and John Bigley
DogTipper publishers Paris Permenter and John Bigley are a husband-wife team of full-time writers. The couple has authored over two dozen books and 2,500+ magazine articles.
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