Top Tips for Keeping Your Pup Safe from Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Just like us, dogs live it up in the summertime and just like us, sometimes they go too hard. When dogs play at high levels of intensity for extended periods of time in the heat, they can easily be overcome with heat exhaustion that can quickly turn into heat stroke. For certain types of dogs with dark, insulated coats such as a Newfoundland, simply being outside for a short walk on a hot, humid day could trigger heat exhaustion. Learn about the symptoms, treatments and how to prevent heat damage to your pup.

 Preventing Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke

  Most dogs don’t know when to stop when it comes to having fun, so it’s crucial that you take the lead and carefully monitor them for signs of overheating. Heat exhaustion is the first step towards heat stroke, which causes seizures, organ failure, and can be fatal. It escalates quickly, so a proactive approach is the way to go.

Here are a few ways to prevent heat damage to your dog.

• Never leave your dog in a car on warm days, even with the windows cracked. The temperature inside a car increases by roughly 40 °F in 10 minutes or less. This means if you leave your dog in a car on a 70 °F day, within 10 minutes the temperature inside the car will be over 100 °F. Leaving your dog in a car even on a seemingly comfortable day, can be life threatening.

• Avoid intense exercise on hot, humid days. Instead, take walks in the early morning or evening to avoid times of peak temperatures. Exercise isn't the only way to help your dog burn energy, check out this list of At Home Enrichment Games.

•  Make sure your dog has access to fresh, clean, water both indoors and outdoors. If your'e going to be gone for long periods of time, be sure to fill multiple bowls of fresh water so your pup can stay hydrated.

•  Fit your pup with cooling gear. If you live in warm climates, purchasing cooling gear, such as a cooling vest like the Chillydog Dog Cooling Vest by Glacier Tek, may be a good choice. I also like this fabric cooling vest, Cool Vest Snow Leo by PAIKKA, because it has cut outs on the back and belly to prevent heat from getting trapped by covering the back.

•  Keep them well groomed, particularly dogs with insulated coats. Breeds with double coats or thick dark coats are more vulnerable to heat damage. Keep their coats free of dead hair and under coat by using FURminator Long Hair Dog Deshedding Tool.

•  Bring a spray bottle with cool water to spritz your dog on outdoor adventures. Misting their coat with cool water helps bring their overall body temperature down. I like this misting water bottle option because some dogs dislike the water pressure of a traditional spray bottle. My dogs are brats and prefer a light misting of cool water.

•  Take lots of play breaks in the shade. You may need to initiate and insist on these play breaks. Many dogs, especially young, high-energy types are not going to want to stop the fun for a boring shade break. These are exactly the types of dogs that go too hard and end up with heat exhaustion.

Identifying Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

 I’ve divided the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke into two separate categories so you can properly identify which stage your dog may be experiencing, so you can react and treat appropriately.

 Mild heat exhaustion may be successfully treated at home, but if a dog has progressed into heat stroke, immediate emergency veterinary care is needed, and time is of the essence.

If your dog is vomiting, seizing, or passing out, you need to get to an ER vet immediately.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include the following:

• Excessive panting with enlarged tongue lolling out.

• Dehydrated: signs include dry nose, dry gums, eyes that appear receded and shrunken.

• Difficulty breathing, sides heaving, appears to be labored.

• Staggering, difficulty moving with coordination.

• Diarrhea and vomiting.

• Lethargic, won’t get up.

• Gums are an abnormal color. For example, normally pink gums could be red.

 If you notice any of these symptoms, get your dog out of the heat immediately. If possible, bring them to an air-conditioned room. If you don’t have AC, get a fan, and find the coolest room in the house for your pup to rest and recover. Scroll down for a complete list of cooling methods.

If you are late to notice these symptoms of heat exhaustion, your dog may have progressed into heat stroke.

Symptoms of heat stroke include the following:

• Collapse, unable to get up when called.

• Excessive drooling, panting, labored breathing.

•  Temperature over 103° F.

• Sudden bruising or bleeding. For example: bleeding gums.

• Purplish or discolored gums.

• Mental fog, lethargic, unresponsive.

• Refusing food and water.

• Muscle spasms, seizures, or convulsions.

• Vomiting or Diarrhea with blood present. 

If you see any of these symptoms, spritz your dog’s feet, belly, and back with cool water, crank the AC in the car, and get them to a vet immediately.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency and cannot be successfully treated at home. Time is of the essence and the sooner you get medical attention, the better.

Treating Heat Exhaustion

 If you see your dog displaying any of the symptoms of heat exhaustion, immediately remove them from the heat and begin these treatment methods to bring your dog’s temperature back down to safe level.

Always call your vet for more detailed advice and specific questions.

Treatment Methods

•  Place them in a shaded area with a fan or AC.

• Provide them cool, not cold, water to drink. Be careful not to let them drink too much too fast, as this can cause vomiting.

• Mist entire body with cool water.

•  Do NOT cover them with a wet towel, this can actually trap in the heat.

•  Wrap feet in towels (paper towels work in a pinch) soaked in cool water. Dogs release heat through their feet, so remove wet towels from feet every 3-5 minutes and place them back on once feet have had a chance to release heat.

• Place a cool, wet towel on their belly, remembering to remove and replace it intermittently, so the towel doesn’t accidentally trap in heat.

• Give them a frozen treat, like a frozen Kong or a licky mat.

• Lay them on a cool surface, such as a cooling pad, or cool stone or tile. You can purchase a cooling pad like the Cool Pet Pad, if you live in hot, humid climate.

• Have your dog walk in cool water, either safe, clean natural water, or fill a wading pool with a few inches of cool water. 

• Cover an icepack in cloth or plastic and place intermittently on belly, groin, or armpits. Dogs can experience ice burn just like humans, so always use a protective barrier and remove the icepack intermittently. If your dog begins shaking or shivering at any point, stop the cooling technique immediately. 

• Monitor body temperature if possible. If available, use a rectal thermometer to track your dog’s temperature. A normal dog’s temperature is between 100-102.5°F. Anything temperature above 102.5 °F is abnormal, and you need to call your vet immediately.

High Risk Dogs

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can happen to any dog; however the following medical conditions increase the chances of a dog suffering from heat damage.

• Brachycephalic dogs with short, smooshed snouts such as pugs, bulldogs, French bulldogs, Boston Terriers. These dogs already struggle with breathing, so complications escalate quickly when it comes to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

• Obese dogs. Obesity causes many health problems for dogs, so if your dog is obese, they need to be carefully monitored when playing outside in the heat.

• Elderly dogs. Older dogs are more susceptible to injuries and need to be monitored with extra care.

• Tracheal collapse. These dogs already struggle to breathe because of damage to their airways, so heat damage can escalate quickly because the dog cannot breathe and regulate their body temperature normally.

•  Heart disease. Because heat damage directly affects the organs, dogs with preexisting heart conditions are more vulnerable to heat damage.

In addition to dogs with prexisting  medical conditions, dogs with insulated coats, particularly dark coats, are at a higher risk for developing heat damage. Some examples include Newfoundlands, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Alaskan Malamutes, American Eskimo Dogs, Siberian Huskies, as well as other spitz dog mixes.

 In addition to proper grooming, be proactive by providing water, shade, and play breaks for your pup, so you can both enjoy a safe summer. 

For more information directly from medical professionals please check out my list of references. If you have any specific medical questions, please reach out to your vet.

References:

Heatstroke in Dogs by Veronica Higgs, DVM

11 Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion in Dogs

Heat Stroke in Dogs- What it Looks Like and What to Do About It by Dr. Kerri Nelson