Heat Stroke in Dogs

In the event your dog gets overheated outside…

1. Call vet and get to vet as soon as possible. In event you cannot get to vet…

2. Bring dog/pup inside but DO NOT place directly on air conditioner vent or in front of air conditioner. DO NOT immerse dog in Cold water as it will KILL your dog as will shock there system. If you have just a regular fan, use that to just get some air moving for the dog, but still do not place directly on dog. Try and find cool floor to place dog on like tile, linoleum, wood, just not carpet or rug.

3. Put Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing alcohol just like we use on cuts) in a spray bottle and spray pads of feet on dog. This cools dog by pulling heat out of the dog and evaporates hence adding to the cooling.

4. Use another spray bottle with room temp water and gently spray inside of dogs mouth usually they will lick some of it. Also is you have Nutri-cal give the dog some and get it down them as the sugar will help.

5. Keep dog calm as possible. Once immense panting and normal pink color comes back to tongue offer some room temp water and let them rest. Would also continue to give more Nutri-cal and electrolytes if have them.

6. Would still take to the vet as soon as could possibly get there just to have checked out. Even if they seem to be fine.

Remember a dog that is used to being inside and in air conditioning is WAY more susceptible to heat stroke than a dog that is acclimated to being outside. But in the temps several of us are having, heat stroke can still happen and when it does, it happens fast...sometimes it only takes 15 minutes in this type of heat and humidity for a dog to go down. Don't rely on the shade of trees in your yard or the access to pond or baby pool of water.

Don't let your dogs go out in the heat of the day. Even late afternoon/evenings can be dangerous as it's sometimes even hotter then. Do your exercising early of the morning when it is the coolest. (A lot of times way before the sun comes up). Example: this morning it is already 89 degrees with 73% humidity and it is not even 9:30am yet. So please pay attention to your pets and the weather.