Amongst the most severe conditions that can affect a dog is where heatstroke is found, and carefully considering the name, one can tell, how closely associated it is with hot weather. Whenever there is an inability to dissipate accumulated heat during exposure to a hot environment or when there is a case of tedious activity, probably like a physical activity under heat stress, is when we have heatstroke in dogs.
Usually, it is characterized by the pet having a core body temperature alongside a central nervous system dysfunction. Heatstroke in a dog is a severe life-threatening condition that comes from an imbalance between the production and dissipation of heat.
source
When heat-induced illness in dogs is classified based on the level of severity and types, it was found to be the most severe form of heat-induced illness. The first way to know that your dog could be developing heat-induced illness is often with cramps, that is characterized by muscle spasms, often related to electrolyte depletion and dehydration.
If consistently, the pet is still exposed to heat and not withdrawn from it, there is a clear case of exhaustion. In the case of heat exhaustion, there would be an indication of weakness and fatigue, and rarely, there could also be an occurrence of dehydration and increased temperature.
source
There is often a point of transition from the place of heat exhaustion to heatstroke, and that is the central nervous system, giving signs of seizures or disorientation, alongside an elevated temperature, and most times multiple organ dysfunction. Heatstroke happens as a result of the inability of the body to cool down, therefore leading to tissue damage in the body, which will in turn lead to reduced blood flow to the organs that can cause organ damage and organ failure.
No system in the body cannot be affected by heatstroke, there are major ones that get affected the most, the; Liver, Kidney, Heart, Coagulation system, Central nervous system, and Gastrointestinal tract. It is important to also add that heatstroke can overpower the defense mechanism of the body, this happens through the damaging of the heat shock proteins, which are naturally designed for the protection of the body from heat and stress.
There was a study that included the diagnosis of 54 dogs, who had a case of naturally occurring heatstroke, the study was carried out by *Bruchim et al., and the medium body weight of the dogs used for the study was 31kg, it supported higher susceptibility of large breed dogs to the stress of the heat, military dogs were also made available. Brachycephalic dogs are at more risk for heat-related illness as a result of their poor ineffective evaporative ability, and their ability to develop laryngeal edema.
We established the fact that heatstroke is a life-threatening case, and the ability to recognize it on time and begin treatment will help in saving the life of the pet. Animals that are more susceptible to heatstroke are those who are very young or very old, those pets who are overweight, the ones with thick coats, the ones who have a pre-existing condition, especially heart, lung, or airway issues, and then pets who are flat faced like french bulldogs, pugs or Persian cats.
Smaller animals have an early sign like excessive panting, overheating, increased heart rate, weakness, and hypersalivation, when symptoms like nausea, dry gums, and vomiting begins to appear, it is usually a progression towards heat prostration.
Most of the information we have in veterinary medicine was derived from human medicine, but experts also say dogs are not suitable models for human heat-related disease, and this is because of the differences in response to high temperature, especially when it comes to light of intrinsic thermal resistance of canine brain.
Leaving a dog in a car with an inadequate supply of ventilation is one of the common causes of heat stroke, when a dog is left in a condition where they could be a rapid elevation within minutes, the possibility of heat stroke is very high. Remember that, unlike humans, dogs are usually unable to control their sweating as humans would, they only have a small number of sweat glands that are located in their footpads, and the primary way to regulate body temperature is often through panting.
Also, leaving your dog utterly exposed in a compound without any form of shade on a hot day, or being exposed to a hair dryer for a long time, strongly cause heatstroke.
If symptoms of heatstroke in a dog are noticed on time, before the situation gets out of hand, there are available treatments that could save the day;
Hyperthermia: This is a first-hand medical emergency applied, in this case, the regulation of temperature has to be a priority. Cool water, please not cold, should be poured over the head, the stomach, the armpits, and the feet.
Cold water may also be applied, but with the use of clothes, remember it needs to be replaced from time to time or it would begin to retain heat. The use of ice packs has remained a controversial thing as they may contribute to a reduced flow of blood to the skin surface where heat could take place.
The rectal temperature of the dog will be monitored and once the dog begins to show signs of recovery, then treatment should be stopped, in a case where the cooling process is continued even after the temperature has dropped, it could also become dangerous, as the patient could develop hypothermia, which is a low body temperature that is dangerous. Through all of this first-hand cooling procedure, remember to put a call through to your vet to get professional assistance.
Recovery depends on how the body temperature is elevated, and how long the hyperthermia persisted, we also have to consider the physical condition of the pet before the heat stroke happened. If the pet was in a healthy state before the occurrence, there is a very strong chance of recovery, most of them would even recover if they are treated instantly. Some pets, on the other hand, may however experience permanent organ damage or they may eventually die as a result of complications that would evolve from the secondary form of hyperthermia.
Finally, to ensure that your pet does not have a heat stroke situation, ensure to follow these simple/basic rules;
Do not exercise your pet on warm days, exercise should be done early in the morning or later in the evening, avoiding the hot parts of the day.
Never leave your pet in a car or a hot room.
Always make drinking water available for your dog.
Do not place your dog on hot pavements, it burns their paws, remember, if it is too hot for your hands, then it is too hot for your pet to walk on also.
If the breed of your pet requires grooming, then groom accordingly.
Always make sure that your pet has access to cool and properly shaded areas, whether they are indoor or outdoor.
References.
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/small-animal-vet/teaching-and-research/fact-files/heatstroke-in-dogs-and-cats
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/heat-stroke-in-dogs
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-66015-8
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7337213/
https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/systemic/heatstroke-dogs
We're having a heat wave right now in Cyprus, and I can't help but think of all those dogs that people bring here from all over the world, that don't belong in this year-round-sunshine climate, like huskies.
It would really take a lot of care to make those dogs survive, I hope they do.
This is kind of common among dogs and is always ignored
Ignoring such is dangerous to the health of the pet, one of those reasons why some dog owners would claim not to know the reason behind the sudden death of their pet.
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