Posted on June 06, 2009 by Nancy Houser

Symptoms of heat stroke in dogs, a body temperature over 104 degrees, are not only deadly but can cause brain damage if it is left untreated–providing the dog lives. Additionally, a dog who has developed heat stroke is much more apt to get it again and again the remainder of their life. Particularly dangerous in warm climates or during warm times of the year, as pet owners, rescuers and trainers we need to be aware of what symptoms to watch for in our animals during these very dangerous times when a heat stroke in a dog can become a common occurrence.

Recognizing the symptoms of heat stroke in dogs will not only save their life but also keep their life quality from heading straight into disaster mode. Simple things like lots of shade and cool water provided at all times should be easy for us to do for our pets who not only love us but depend on us for their care.

"Cool water and shade is necessary during summer months to prevent heat stroke in dogs."

It took me a long time to figure out most dogs do not like hot or warm water during hot days, but instead prefer cool and cold water to drink–things that should make sense to someone who prefers ice in her water all the time! We now provide cool clean water at our rescue center twice a day in the summer months or when it begins to become warm. If it reaches over 80  degrees  they get cold water three times a day as many will have their water gone by noon even if we change it early in the morning. By early evening that water will be gone or it is hot and dirty enough that they won’t drink it.

Without adequate cool water and shade, it will be easy for a dog to develop heat stroke and die in the middle of the afternoon without their owner even knowing it until they get home from work or a shopping trip. By taking a dog with serious heat stroke into a vet, it can cost up to $1,500 dollars the first 24 hours of emergency care–as compared to a bowl of cool water and shade–and a little love and tenderness.

SYMPTOMS OF HEAT STROKE IN DOGS

• Panting and Cooling the Pads of Their Feet

The only way an animal has to relieve heat is to pant through their mouth or cooling down the pads of their feet. Many will place their feet in their water container as their bodies begin to heat up during hot days–a good thing to watch for before heat stroke sets in.

If the  hot animal cannot get their body cooled down fast enough, their temperature can go from 101 degrees to 107 degrees within minutes, with death occurring in fifteen minutes. Dogs on cement are in more trouble than any other dog left in a kennel, as cement is typically 15 degrees hotter than the surrounding air temperature.

• A Dry Mouth/Nose and Increased Heart Rate

Combined with the rapid breathing, their mouth will become dry and along with their gums will turn blue, red, or a grayish-maroon color with a serious raise in heart rate.  It is difficult for a non-trained individual to get an accurate heart rate of their animal without a stethoscope, but a normal resting heart rate of a puppy is 120 to 160 beats a minute, adult dogs under 30 lbs have 100 to 160 beats a minute, while larger dogs over 30 lbs are 60 to 100 beats per minute.

The faster the heart rate, the faster the dog will need to pant to try and cool its body down. These symptoms  will be followed by the eventual collapsing of the dog, with seizures developing into a coma. After this, death follows.

• Exhaustion and a Lurching Gait
  

Dogs who are showing signs of heat stroke will become so weakened they cannot hold their head up, becoming so exhausted they barely can move. If they do move, it will be in a staggering manner or with a lurching gait until they fall down.  A dog this weak will be unable to drink or swallow, drowning if water is forced down their throat.

• Labored Breathing
  

Labored breathing in a dog with heat stroke is often overlooked, especially if the animal has been left inside a locked car during a hot day for even a short time. Regardless what the outside temperature is, inside the vehicle the temperature will be rising another 20 degrees.  Dogs who are left in the back of pickup beds and bed-liners have burnt the pads of dog’s feet enough to require vet care. Labored breathing is a sign the body temperature is rising and the animal is in trouble.

In many states, it is now a felony to leave a dog alone in a hot car or to refuse to provide adequate care to an animal, leading to the dog or animal’s death. Symptoms of heat stroke in dogs are being advertised everywhere, but still owners ignore them and leave pets in hot cars or in kennels without adequate water and shade on high temperature days. States such as Arkansas and Texas are leading the way in preventing animal cruelty and enforcing these felony laws with prison and fines being enforced. Maybe if enough states would enforce these laws, people would wake up to such a simple thing–heat kills dogs if they are not cared for properly in the summer or in hot temperature areas.

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• Heat Exhaustion Dogs Vomiting
• Signs & Symptoms of Winter Hypothermia in Dogs
• Health Problems of the English Bulldog
• Q & A: How can I keep my dog cool without A/C?
• Top Dog Diseases – Signs and Symptoms