How to Spot Heat Stroke in Dogs and Act Swiftly

Aug 2

Somewhere, somehow, an idea was born that said, if a dog is at risk of heat stroke, don't cool them too quickly...I even heard this on the radio recently 😵‍💫

THIS IS UNTRUE!!

🫠 How to tell if your dog is overheating? Look at the tongue: if it is floppy, hanging to the side, maybe even a little swollen? and ESPECIALLY if the tip of the tongue is beginning to curl, YOUR DOG IS OVERHEATING.

❄️ Rapid cooling is what you want! and don't get fussy about the what or how: JUST DO SOMETHING: get your dog in water 🏝 a pool 🏊‍♀️ a creek 🚣‍♀️ a tub 🛁 a bucket 🪣 under a hose 🚿 in a cooler filled with 🫗 water and ice 🧊 or wrapped in wet towels ---

Do you get the idea? Cold air cools the dog, but cold water does this far more efficiently. Evaporation speeds the cooling effects.

🐾 Dog feet are particularly good at releasing heat 🐾 GET THEIR FEET WET!!!

❄️ Anything that is COOLER THAN THE DOG will bring down the temperature. Bringing down the temperature RAPIDLY is what will save their life.

🌬To speed evaporation and therefore, cooling, putting your wet dog in air conditioning, and/or in front of a fan will help. If you have rubbing alcohol, or even strong liquor, pour that on neck, belly, feet; it evaporates at a lower temperature than water.

🆘 Heat stroke is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY so getting the dog to a veterinary ER is your next step. If you think your dog has heat injury, don't get over-concerned about cooling them too much. The vet ER can warm them back up, if needed. Too cool isn't the problem. Damage is caused by high heat.

‼️ Unfit or unhealthy dogs, puppies and senior dogs, dogs with thick undercoats *especially* if you've not professionally stripped those undercoats recently (this includes most Nordic breeds and any Doodle cross), brachycephalic dogs (short-nosed or flat-faced dogs, such as Pugs or French Bulldogs) are all at much higher risk of heat injury and death, even in moderate temperatures and in the shade.