Author:
Monica Porter
Date Of Creation:
19 March 2021
Update Date:
27 June 2024
- More severe overheating can lead to diarrhea, vomiting (sometimes bloody vomiting), convulsions, coma, cardiac arrest and death.
- The longer it takes the skin to return to its original position, the more severe the dehydration is. Take your dog to the vet for an intravenous infusion.
Examination of the gums. Lift the dog's tongue and check its gums color. If the gums are not pink but red, it could be a sign of heat shock. You can feel your dog's gums with your fingertips to see if his gums are damp and slippery, if so, it's okay, if the gums are dry or sticky, the dog may be dehydrated.
- If you suspect that your dog is dehydrated, give it a drink immediately (if the dog doesn't drink, try to wet his tongue or take it directly to the vet). Dehydration, not treated in time, can lead to organ failure and death.
- Fatigue is one of the earliest signs of dehydration.Don't try to take your dog for a walk or ignore it when it starts to lie down or keeps running into the shade. Give your dog a drink and take it somewhere cooler.
Evaluate if your dog needs medical attention. Dehydration and overheating can be life-threatening. Observe the dog's behavior and check for signs of severe heat and dehydration. If in doubt, call your vet or vet and describe your dog's symptoms. They may ask you to continue monitoring its health or bring your dog for treatment. advertisement
Method 2 of 3: Cool down your dog
Give your dog plenty of clean, cool water. Make sure the water bowl is clean and stays out of the air all day - bacteria can grow in the bowl if you don't rinse and replace the water. Do not try to force or pour water into the dog's mouth even if he refuses to drink to avoid inhaling water into his lungs and choking.
- If your dog refuses to drink, try wetting his tongue with water. You can use your hands or use a towel to squeeze water on the dog's tongue.
- Do not give your dog ice water or ice if you think it is too hot. Doing so will cause the dog to cool off too quickly and lead to shock.
Remove the dog from the heat source. Get your dog inside as quickly as possible. If you are outdoors, carry your dog in your car or indoors. If you have a pond or stream nearby, you can let your dog stand in the water to cool down before bringing it inside. Or at least put it in the shade.- Take the dog to an air-conditioned or fan-driven location and face the dog.
- Once you've removed your dog from the heat source, evaluate the symptoms and contact your veterinarian. You will probably need to take it to the emergency room.
Use a cool towel to cool down quickly. You can place a cool, wet washcloth on your dog's neck, under his front legs (armpit position) and between his hind legs (around the groin). You should use a towel cool not cold towels. Don't use ice or an ice pack - remember to cool down slowly. If the dog cools too quickly or the temperature drops too low, the dog will be at the same risk as overheating.
- If you don't have a towel, you can cool your dog by pouring room temperature water over him.
- Wet your dog's ears and feet. Many of your dog's sweat glands are located on his feet, so cooling these areas will help him reduce his or her temperature.
- You may also try evaporative cooling by wiping your dog's feet and groin with isopropyl alcohol. Evaporative cooling works like perspiration - when alcohol evaporates, it carries the dog's body temperature.
Method 3 of 3: Prevent dogs from overheating
Keep the dog in a cool and safe environment. Dogs should stay indoors (with air conditioning or fans) as much as possible on hot, hot days, and you should never leave them outside in the heat. If your dog spends most of his time playing outdoors, make sure he has a shade to keep out the sun, cool down and have plenty of clean water to drink.
- Car absolutely not It's a good environment for your dog on warm sunny days - even if it's not too hot, park your car in the shade or leave your windows open and only walk for a while. The temperature in a parked car can quickly soar to 60 ° C.
- A garage, a beach with no place to avoid the sun or hot rooms that are exposed to the sun are also not suitable environments for dogs on warm days.
- A sheltered, shaded place with a pond or a shallow stream of water is a good environment for walking your dog in hot weather. Make sure your dog has plenty of water to drink, and watch for signs of fatigue and overheating.
- Prepare the water for your dog to soak when outdoors. You can fill a basin of cool water and let your dog cool its paws by sitting, standing, or sometimes lying down in the water.
Do not allow your dog to exercise excessively. Especially if your dog is old or in short snout breeds (such as pug, bull, Beijing, and Boston Terrier). Too much exercise during a hot day can overheat your dog. Try not to walk or run for too long in hot weather. If you go outside, watch for shade and lie down. If so, it is trying to tell you, "It's so hot, we have to get out of here".
- Dogs often do not know their limits, especially dogs that love to run, hunt and play. Maybe they will try to run until they fall and their lives are in danger. It is your responsibility to watch for signs of overheating and keep your dog hunting on cooler days.
- Short-muzzle breeds are unable to cool themselves down effectively because they do not gasp as well as other breeds. Panting is the main way to help cool your dog. So normal activities can also become overwhelming with these breeds on a hot day.
Walk your dog during the coolest part of the day. The early mornings and evenings are the best time to take your dog for a walk - while letting your dog out at noon is no different from finding trouble on your own. In addition to the hot rays of the sun, high temperature air, the heat from asphalt, concrete and sand can burn dogs' feet and cause them to blister. If it is too hot and you cannot walk barefoot, it will definitely be too hot for the dog.
- If you let your dog go outside before and after sunrise, you can find him a suitable exercise for the day so he won't get bored and frustrated.
- Try to let your dog walk on the grass or alternately on the road and on the grass so that his feet do not get too hot.
Give the dog some cooling accessories. A cooling jacket or collar can keep your dog from overheating on hot days. Some coolers have cooling pockets on the side, others just need to be soaked in water to make the dog's heat evaporate. Choose a lightweight and suitable fit for your dog.
- You can also buy your dog a cooling mat or bunk bed so it has a comfortable place to rest when it gets too hot. These products are usually very compact and use a variety of cooling methods, from gel mats to evaporative or water-cooled. You have thousands of options for a product to match your space and style.
Prune dogs, but are not shaved. Although you can imagine that the dog is pitiful to wear a coat of approximately 38 ° C, but in fact, this coat is effective in insulating and helping the dog to regulate its temperature. The coat helps it stay warm in winter and also helps it cool down in the summer.
- If your dog has long fur, you can trim it a bit or cut it short in the summer.
- Make sure the dog's coat is always clean and well groomed to help better air circulation.
- The dog's coat also protects it from UV rays, preventing the dog from sunburn and skin cancer.
Make sure your dog drinks the water and gives him a frozen treat. Keeping the dog's body hydrated is just as important as keeping it from overheating. If the dog is dehydrated and the tongue is dry, then its self-cooling method (gasping for breath) will no longer be effective. If you go out with a prairie dog on a hot day, make sure it drinks water at least once an hour or more often.
- If your dog doesn't get too hot, you can give him some ice or a frozen treat to sip on. Try making dog ice cream, but remember to give your dog ice cold or frozen food while it is sick too hot (not just normal heat) would be extremely dangerous and could cause shock.
