July 2009

Heat Stroke!!
by Luanne "BeaglePup" Bragg

I had planned to submit a different article this month but, I just received some bad news from a friend in South Carolina, he lost one of his best rabbit dogs to something we all should be aware of this time of year.

HEAT STROKE

Heat stroke is a non-fever induced elevation of body temperature. Many articles appear each year in our Beagle Magazines and each year we hear of friends and acquaintances losing good dogs to it. It can be brought on by working your dog in the heat and humidity or by them just not having enough water or shade during the hottest parts of any day. The temps do not have to be in the high 90s either.

Usually the dog’s body temps will rise above 103 degrees and can reach as high as 106 degrees very rapidly. The reason for this rise is the dog’s body heat regulators cannot handle the heat it is being exposed to. High body temperature is not the only symptom. Excessive panting and drooling, the membranes around the eyes will become very red, vomiting blood, mental confusion, a rapid heart rate, muscle tremors and even seizures can occur.

The best treatment for this is prevention. Be sure to avoid exercising your dogs in the heat of the day. Make sure that their pens and boxes are shaded, either with large trees or with a light colored tarp. Keep extra water available for them but do not give them cold or ice water (a dog does not know to keep drinking if their mouth is immediately cooled by the water they are consuming, this causes them to stop drinking long before they are had enough to keep them hydrated) and, if the temperatures are really excessive and you cannot bring them into a cooler area (barn, basement, house) setting a fan near them to move air will help.

Recognize the above signs AND if your dog is showing them immediately move them to a cooler area, get them wet down (by running water over them or placing room temperature wet towels around their neck and stomach do not submerge them in cool water. If you are near a shallow stream get them into the water at it edge quickly), NOT WITH COLD WATER, but with room temperature water, offer them infant water with electrolytes in it and if symptoms persist please get them to your vet. The vet will have to administer fluids.

Untreated heat stroke can cause death. But, mild cases can cause kidney failure, heart problems, internal bleeding and ongoing seizures.

Please, be careful this time of year working or playing with your dogs outside in the sun, heat and humidity.

NEXT MONTH. K-9 C.P.R.