Summer is already here, and we are feeling it. With the rising temperature
in South Florida, there is something that we need to pay attention to with our Golden Retriever, and that is Heatstroke.
We hear this word a lot and recently is leaving concern among vets. But do you know what it is and how to identify it? Let’s quickly review the definition, signs and symptoms, and how to prevent and give first aid to our pups if we get to get in the situation of our dog overheating.
Heatstroke definition
It is a term commonly used for nonpyrogenic hyperthermia or elevated temperature in a dog’s body above 104°F (40°C), with a spectrum of systemic signs. This life-threatening condition can affect dogs of any age, breed, or gender.
How Do Dogs Regulate Their Body Temperature
Unlike humans, dogs don’t use their skin to perspire, because of their insulating coat. Their coat keeps them both cool in hot weather and warm in cool weather. Dogs have sweat glands located in the pads of their feet and ear canals, but sweating plays a minor role in regulating body temperature.
When the temperature is very hot and especially when it is humid, a dog’s body also heats up. His body responds by trying to cool off. Maintenance of normal core body temperature in dogs is a complex mechanism of physiological homeostasis. This regulation involves multiple body systems (respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, urinary, and even integumentary systems; the amount and type of hair on the dog) The homeostatic mechanisms are most efficient in adult dogs and less efficient in puppies or old dogs. This process is called thermoregulation.
Importance of Thermoregulation in Dogs
As explained before dogs do not regulate temperatures like us. When the ambient temperature rises, temperature sensors in the central nervous system (hypothalamus) respond by stimulating the systems involved with thermoregulation to maintain core body temperature. Heat is dissipated by four physical mechanisms:
Evaporation
Occurs through panting, which dispels heat via the evaporation of water from the surface of the tongue and is one of the most important ways a dog thermoregulates. They will pant to bring air into their upper respiratory system to evaporate water from their mucous membranes, then they will drink a lot of water to compensate for the evaporation.
Conduction
Occurs through the transfer of heat from one object to another. In dogs, they are commonly achieved by lying with their sparsely-haired abdomen in contact with a cool surface, allowing the transfer of heat to this surface.
Convention
Convection is the transference of heat from the body as air passes over it, as is seen with a fan or with the wind.
Radiation
Radiation is the natural process of the body releasing heat into the environment.
Causes of Heatstroke
- Leaving a dog in a car with inadequate ventilation. The body temperature in this situation can elevate very rapidly, often within minutes.
- Being left in a yard without access to shade or water on a hot day
- Excessive or vigorous exercise during hot temperatures. Excited or excessively exercised dogs are sometimes at risk even if the environmental temperature and humidity do not seem high.
- Exposure to a hair dryer for an extended period of time.
- Obesity
- Heat disease
- Age
- Laryngeal paralysis ( some goldens can develop this in early age)
Symptoms of Heatstroke in Dogs
- The signs of heatstroke include:
- Excessive panting
- Reddened gums/mucous membranes
- Tachycardia (fast heart rate)
- Dehydration
- Elevated temperature (104 F and above)
- Vomiting (with or without blood)
- Diarrhea (with or without blood)
- Disorientation/stumbling
- Weakness/collapse
- Seizures/death
First Aid for your dog if you suspect a heatstroke.
Hyperthermia is an immediate medical emergency. Safe, controlled reduction of body temperature is a priority.
- Cool water (not cold) can be applied over the head, stomach, armpits, and feet, or cool cloths may be applied to these areas. If using cool wet cloths, these should be continually replaced, or they will start to retain heat.
- Ensure a continuous flow of air across the dog to help increase evaporative heat loss until treatment is received at your veterinary hospital.
- Also, alcohol may be applied to the footpads to dilate pores and increase perspiration. (questionable benefit)
Prognosis
Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of heatstroke are important for a dog’s survival and recovery. Recovering from heatstroke is directly related to how high the dog’s temperature was, for how long, and how quickly they arrived at the hospital.
If the body temperature does not become extremely high most healthy dogs will recover quickly if treated immediately.
Some dogs may experience permanent organ damage or may die at a later date from complications that developed secondarily to hyperthermia. Pets that experience hyperthermia are at greater risk for subsequent heat stroke due to damage to the thermoregulatory center.
