19/06/2025
๐HEATSTROKE IN DOGS๐
We've been banging on about this for years! HEATSTROKE is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY! Fortunately, now more and more professionals are communicating the same message!
Whilst the need for rapid cooling with COLD water (1-15ยฐC) has been recognised for decades in equestrian and human medicine, the dog world has lagged behind, and very poor information still circulates. e.g. "cool the paws", "cover with wet towels", "avoid cold water as it will cause shock"
THE KEY MESSAGES ARE............
๐ฆ"WET THEN VET"๐ฆ
๐ฆ"COLD WATER IMMERSION" (1-15ยฐC)๐ฆ
(If you can't immerse, keep pouring ANYTHING COLD over the dog - hose, soft drinks, milk, etc)
๐ฆDogs die of heatstroke because they were NOT COOLED QUICKLY ENOUGH, NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE COOLED!
โจ๏ธRISK FACTORS FOR HEATSTROKE IN HOT WEATHERโจ๏ธ
โจ๏ธLarge dogs
โจ๏ธDOUBLE-COATED breeds
โจ๏ธBrachycephalic breeds
โจ๏ธJune, July, August (UK)
โจ๏ธExercise, being outdoors, left in cars
EDIT: - If a dog is PANTING, it's struggling to control its body TEMPERATURE! ๐ฆHOSE IT TO COOL IT DOWN!๐ฆ
โค๏ธPLEASE SHARE - Spread accurate information; potentially save a dogs life!โค๏ธ
CHECK OUT FREE RESOURCES HERE: https://askanimalweb.com/managing-dogs-in-hot-weather/
Welfare in the Heat: https://askanimalweb.com/heat-welfare/
If you don't believe me, look at the research: Beard S, Hall EJ, Bradbury J, Carter AJ, Gilbert S, O'Neill DG. Epidemiology of heat-related illness in dogs under UK emergency veterinary care in 2022. Vet Rec. 2024;e4153. https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vetr.4153
