By clothing-bag, 30/03/2022

So you can know if your dog is suffering from heat stroke: these are the symptoms

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Some regions of Spain can exceed 40ºC during the summer months, a temperature that puts people at risk, especially the elderly and children, but also pets, which, due to their temperature regulation system, body, they deal worse with heat. And this has a biological explanation.

Mammals sweat to regulate themselves, but although most of them have a variable number of sweat glands, these can be very few or even non-functional. “Dogs barely produce sweat, and use panting as a temperature regulation mechanism. Others, like rabbits, directly lack sweat glands”, explains Fernando Esperón, professor of the Degree in Veterinary Medicine at the European University, to SINC.

In addition to sweating, what differentiates us from our pets is their fur. Having little, humans manage to thermoregulate, especially heat -although it seems paradoxical-, thanks to the clothes we wear. In the case of pets, the loss of hair in the months prior to summer prepares them for the heat, but since the fur does not disappear completely, "high temperatures can affect them even more than humans," emphasizes Esperón.

For this reason, from different veterinary organizations, such as The Humane Society of the United States, recommendations are offered to owners to keep their pets safe at all times during the summer.

Recognize the signs of heat stroke

How to recognize that our pets suffer from the heat? According to experts from the American organization, some signs of heat stroke are intense panting, glassy eyes, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, bright red or purple tongue, seizures, and loss of consciousness.

"The symptoms are varied and nonspecific, depending on the severity of the condition," says the expert. In dogs, the first sign is usually excessive panting. “You can see excess salivation early on and even have seizures,” he warns.

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Dogs can also get sunburns and their mucous membranes can turn bluish (cyanosis). "In more serious cases we can find digestive signs, such as vomiting and diarrhea or they can even go into shock," says Esperón. A very strong sunstroke can partially coagulate blood proteins, causing coagulation problems and thrombi.

Beware of snub-nosed breeds

Added to this are factors such as breed (especially Boxers, Pugs, Shih Tzus and other short-nosed dogs and cats), age or the presence of chronic diseases, such as heart or respiratory problems, which can make them more susceptible to heat, in the case of dogs.

“It is also very important to know that not all dogs have the same resistance to heat. For example, dogs of brachycephalic breeds (those called "flat", such as Bulldogs, for example) are very susceptible to heat stroke. Of course, puppies and geriatric animals are also highly susceptible”, the veterinarian stresses to SINC.

However, among pets, rabbits are probably the animals that tolerate sudden changes in temperature the worst. "But in the usual conditions of Spanish homes, these temperature changes are not sudden enough so that, in general, they can cause heat stroke," says Esperón.

Avoid walks in the hottest hours

As more outdoor activities are carried out during the holidays and there is more leisure time with pets, experts agree that the main recommendation to prevent heat stroke and excessive sunstroke in our pets is to avoid walking them outside. hottest hours.

In these months “the hours of feeding and walking can change radically, and the greatest risk, apart from the animal going out at times of higher temperature, is dehydration. During the summer months, hydration needs are much higher”, emphasizes Esperón. Whenever possible, you should carry water with you to prevent the dog from becoming dehydrated.

With the exercise of the pet is also necessary to pay special attention. "Adjust the intensity and duration of exercise based on temperature," advise from The Humane Society of the United States. On very hot days, owners should limit exercise to early morning or evening, and be especially careful with pets with white ears, which are more susceptible to skin cancer, and those with short noses, which They often have difficulty breathing.

Always shade and fresh, clean water

On the other hand, the animals must have permanent access to shade and fresh water. "The drinking fountains should always have fresh and clean water, as it should throughout the year, but it is very likely that these will empty faster," underlines the Spanish expert. Water has to be available both outside and inside.

It is also important that the pet wears a cooling body wrap, vest or mat inside or outside the house. If the dog is not stressed by baths, it can be soaked in refreshing water.

Shade trees and tarps are ideal because they don't obstruct airflow. “A doghouse does not alleviate the heat; in fact, it makes it worse”, they say from the American organization.

Never leave it in the car

Another aspect that concerns veterinarians is the time of transportation, especially by car. “Under normal conditions, with air conditioning or open windows, there should be no problems, except at rest stops. Ideally, the pet also goes out with the owners of the vehicle”, explains Esperón.

At that time, the expert points out that it should be used to walk the dog and hydrate it. “This last point is critical,” he recalls. In the case of having to leave the pet in the car, breaks should be done in less hot hours and minimize the time, as well as parking in the shade and leaving the windows open. "Also try to observe the animal every so often," says the veterinarian.

However, the organizations do not recommend leaving the animal in the car: "Not even with the car running and the air conditioning on," they warn The Humane Society. On a hot day, the temperature inside a car can rise from 29°C to 39°C in 10 minutes, even with the windows open. After 30 minutes, the temperature could reach 49 ºC.

Finally, in addition to all these guidelines to protect pets, experts point out that in the case of not being able to move with the animal, it should be left in animal residences or the houses of friends or relatives. Abandonment is another situation that occurs in summer.

"I think it is not necessary to remember that in addition to the traumatic situation for the animal, the abandonment of a pet is a crime defined by law," concludes Fernando Esperón.

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