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This summer protect your pets for heat.
HEAT STROKE

Heat stroke

Summers do sometimes brings life threatning heat stroke in Dogs.

It is rising of body temperature above critical limits leading to the life threatening hyperthermia. Dogs do not sweat and there is not much efficient cooling mechanism as humans do and so they are overheated easily.

It is recognized as

Rapid breathing
Panting
Loss of balance
Red eyes and tongue
Thick salivation
Roaring breathing sounds
Depression
Weakness
Vomition and diarrhea
Coma
Unconsciousness
And VERY HIGH RISE RECTAL TEMPERATURE

(If one can take the dog temperature by inserting a lubricated thermometer in anus for a minute, it is around or more than 105 f )

Most commonly it happens when you take out our dog with you outside in car and leave him unattended in car while going in to the store or office for a while and take an extra time inside. Sometime ,have seen pet owners muzzling there uncooperating dog for doing some thing like picking up ticks ,examining the minor wounds and treating them leading to the heat stoke. So in summers avoid leaving your dog unattended in cars and do not muzzle your dog for long.When ever you take out the pet with you outside don't forget to take water for pet with you. Even at home always keep cool ,clean water with in reach of your pet.

 

Heat stroke is an emergency.

  • Take out the dog from the confinement in the open cool shady place .
  • Offer him a little water to drink let him drink some amout but not too much .
  • Open the water hose and bath the dog ,do not pour on the ice cold water in large amount as it may lead to vessels constriction preventing heat loss.
  • Ice packs can be put between groin and front legs.
  • Make arrangements to take your pet to the nearest emergency clinic.
  • While transporting do keep the dog with you and turn on the air conditioning .
  • Do monitor the temperature again and again to avoid overcooling .If temperature drops to normal around 102 f ,it never means that the dog is out of danger.

It is important to know that fatty dogs are prone to heat stoke .
Once a dog recovered from the heat stoke is always having greater risk of having it again.
Dogs with shorter muzzle (Brachycephalic breeds) like boxer are prone.

Remember heat stoke is an emergency and idea to treat this is to cool the body gradually.

By - Dr S.P.Singh
Pethelpindia.com
Owned & Operated by Practicing Veterinarians
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