Dogs and cats that are generally outdoors may have to adjust slowly to the seasonal changes form cool to hot! That’s exactly what my friend’s dog needed when the temperatures outside went from mid 80 degrees to hot 100’s! All temperatures in this post are in Fahrenheit degrees.
In the last week, temperatures have been going changing from the 90’s up to a 112 degrees at the high time of the day! Most days, my friend’s three dogs stay outdoors for the majority of the day while they are at work. Needless to say, the small dog, a daschund, became weak and unable to walk straight! Luckily, we caught him at the onset of becoming over-heated! We took him into the house and gave him a bowl of cool water and checked him out for signs of heat stroke! He did not display any immediate signs of heat stroke and proceeded to relax and cool down.
According to Krista Mifflin of the about.com network signs of heat stroke as follows:
Early Signs of Heat Stroke
# Rapid breathing
# Dry mouth and nose
# Rapid heart rate
# Dull, greyish-pink, or red gums This Is An Emergency
Even at the earliest stage of heat stroke, you may be fighting for your dog’s life. You must get him to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
These symptoms can be followed in minutes by collapse, seizures, coma and death.
Here are some tips to protect your pets from the hot summer temperatures.
- If your pet stays outdoors, fill a kiddie pool full of water and place it in the shade to allow your dog to hydrate his body. Also, if possible, string a mister system around a porch or patio area that will lower the temperature sometimes by 20 degrees.
- Keep the water bowl filled with clean water and placed in the shade, to make sure your dog can quench it’s thirst.
- Most ideal is to keep your pet indoors when it is extremely hot!
So go out and enjoy the summer and take of pets and children!
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