19/12/2024
As the weather is heating up it’s important to consider the health effects of hyperthermia on our furry friends.
Heatstroke can damage your pet’s internal organs and can be deadly if left untreated.
Symptoms in dogs and cats can include:
- Excessive panting and salivation
- Breathing distress
- Agitation and restlessness (pacing back and forth)
- Very pale and bright red gums, the tongue may be also bright red
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Signs of confusion or delirium (not responding to surroundings the same way they normally do)
- Dizziness, lethargy, weakness
- Sudden collapse
- Seizures
- Coma
Cats can show milder symptoms than dogs, but this does not reduce the severity of heatstroke if left untreated.
In order to prevent heatstroke, you can ensure that your pet:
- Has adequate air ventilation and a cool space to live in
- Has plenty of water
- Does not over-exercise on hot days, ideally walks should be done in the early morning or late afternoon when the temperatures have dropped
- Do not leave your pet unsupervised on extremely hot days
- Is not left alone in a parked car (unless the car has automated air conditioning)
What to do if your pet is showing mild symptoms:
- Take your pet inside and spray with cool (not cold) water. Using cold water can cause shock.
- Saturate towels or blankets with lukewarm to cool temperature water and wrap up your pet
- Place your pet into an air conditioned room
- Place a towel wrapped ice pack onto the inside thigh of your pet (onto the femoral artery)
If your pet is displaying moderate to severe symptoms or they are getting worse, please take them to your nearest veterinary clinic.
Pets that are at higher risk of developing heatstroke include brachycephalic breeds (dogs and cats with shorter muzzles such as pugs, frenchies, bulldogs, boxers, Persians and exotic shorthair cat breeds), young and geriatric pets as well as those with heart or lung disease.
If you have any other questions, please give our clinic a call on 9525 8888.
