Heatstroke in Dogs

Heatstroke, or hyperthermia, is the illness we see in dogs following exposure to excessive heat which may or may not involve exercise.

The normal upper limit of body temperature is around 39.4, above 41.2 organ failure starts to occur.

Dogs with heatstroke pant, they have dry, sticky gums, they are lethargic and sometimes disoriented, very bad cases may have seizures.

Dogs only have a small number of sweat glands so they can’t regulate their body temperature like we do, their main method is by panting.

The most common heatstroke cases we see are working dogs who have worked hard during warm days. It is important to note that working dogs may be at risk even if it doesn’t seem like a very hot day.

Heatstroke is a serious medical emergency. The dog’s body temperature must be dropped safely.

You can start the process if your nearest clinic is far away with cool water (not ice water) poured over the head, legs and stomach, or wet cloths which need to be continuously replaced as they retain heat. Make sure there is good air flow in the vehicle while you travel. Using water which is too cold may cause vasoconstriction in the extremities and not reduce the core body temperature.

Once at the clinic we treat with fluids and oxygen and watch the temperature closely to ensure we don’t cause hypothermia. The next day dogs usually have bad diarrhea and are reluctant to eat. Permanent organ damage can occur in bad cases that survive.