Photo courtesy of Catherine Murray.

 By Dr. Carl Palazzolo, DVM, Long Beach Animal Hospital (LBAH) 

 All photos courtesy of LBHA unless otherwise indicated.

During October’s extreme heat wave, The Vet Is In published an advisory about leaving dogs in the heat, particularly in closed cars where the heat can be intensified by reflection through a window. We’re starting to get intermittently warm days that promise to become more frequent as summer comes in, so now is a good time to remind everyone that dogs do not tolerate heat well. This is especially important when high heat is accompanied by high humidity. Dogs need to pant to allow evaporation, and their heavy hair coats can impede their ability to stay cool in a hot environment.

A dog’s normal body temperature is up to 102.5 degrees F. On a hot day, it’s not unusual for it to go up to 103 degrees F, which is still tolerable for them. Anything above that can start causing problems. When their temperature reaches 104 degrees F or more, there’s danger of heatstroke.

The only accurate way to determine a dog’s body temperature is with a thermometer. Feeling the nose or other extremities is not accurate. Digital thermometers measuring the rectal temperature are the quickest to use and most accurate. 

Pets that are predisposed to heatstroke include those with heart or lung conditions, are obese, have coats of thick hair, are very young or elderly, are hunting or working dogs, and are larger breeds or breeds like bulldogs (see last week’s article on brachycephalic dog breeds).

Symptoms of a dog that is overheating might include excessive panting, weakness, drooling, glazed eyes, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, bright-red tongue, incoordination, seizures, or collapse. If you especially notice any of these symptoms in a dog in a hot car or other hot environment, remove them and get them to a veterinarian as an emergency. On the way there, if you can do this safely, cool them off with cool (not cold) water or put rubbing alcohol on their pads.

If your pet is overheated and you do not have access to cool (not cold) water, use rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol on a gauze pad or a ball of cotton and apply it to the bottom of the feet on the pads. Dogs with hairy feet will not get the full effect of this method of cooling.

When a vet is presented with a pet experiencing heatstroke, they should immediately administer intravenous fluids and cool them down. This cooling can be done with alcohol on the pads, rinsing the pads with cool water, or immerse them completely in cool water if their temperature is above 105 degrees F or they are in shock or comatose. Cool-water enemas are sometimes administered. In some cases, a blood sample will be taken to look for internal-organ or blood problems.

We will sometimes monitor a dog’s oxygen saturation to give us a determination of problems to the internal organs, especially the red blood cells. 

To prevent heatstroke, always make sure your pets have access to fresh water, shade, or a fan or air conditioning. If you have no fan or air conditioning, freeze water bottles or put ice in plastic bags for your dog to lie next to. Change the water in the bowl frequently to encourage them to drink. If their urine is dark when they urinate outside, give them access to fresh water immediately.

Morning walks should be completed by 8:00AM, and evening walks should not be started until around 8:00PM, for large-breed dogs, elderly dogs, or dogs with medical problem. Keep the walks a little shorter than usual if you think your dog is having a problem. Bring water along with you for the longer walks, and take a break in the shade halfway through your walk. Stay away from hot asphalt or concrete as much as possible.

As mentioned what is far more problematic than walking your dog is bringing it in the car with you on a hot day. Every summer, far too many dogs perish in hot cars, even on days when the ambient temperature is in the 70s and it does not seem too hot for your dog. A panting and excited dog can add to the already soaring temperature in the car, and it can become overheated in just a few minutes, even if the windows are partially open. Solar-powered fans are available to circulate the air if you need to keep your dog in the car on a hot day. Leave water in the car as well.

The best prevention of a dog getting heatstroke in a hot car is to keep your pet home while you do errands, even if you run inside a building for only a few minutes. If you need to bring your dog with you by necessity, try to bring along another person, and keep the air conditioner running while you do your errands.

If you come across a dog in a stranger’s locked car with the windows up and you feel the dog is in immediate danger of heatstroke, call 911 or animal control. After you have called them, if you determine that they cannot make it in time, you are protected in California from civil or criminal liability through AB 797 if you break the car’s window in order to rescue the animal. Read the bill’s text here.