Summer brings fun in the sun, but the excessive hot weather can also pose a host of threats to your pet, such as heat stroke. How do you enjoy the warm weather together while staying safe? The best way to protect your cat or dog is by going through a checklist of safety measures and looking for signs of dehydration and exhaustion due to hot weather.
Pet heat stroke occurs when pets can’t regulate body temperature in hot, humid conditions, leading to symptoms like panting, lethargy, and drooling. Immediate cooling and veterinary care are critical to prevent serious complications. Prevention includes hydration, limiting heat exposure, and avoiding hot cars. PetWellClinic supports pet safety with preventative care, early detection, and accessible walk-in services.
Pet heat stroke happens when your four-legged companion loses the ability to cool their body temperature appropriately, usually due to environmental factors, such as higher temperatures and humidity. The highest risk for cats and dogs occurs during the hottest days of the year. A good rule of thumb? If it’s too hot outside for you, it’s too hot outside for them, as well.
What Are Pet Heat Stroke Symptoms?
Pet heat stroke can affect both dogs and cats. Owners should watch for warning signs like heavy panting, rapid breathing, drooling, hot skin, red or dark gums, lethargy, imbalance, and muscle tremors. Cats may also show restlessness, unusual vocalizing, or a rapid heartbeat when they are experiencing excessive heat exposure.
Symptoms in dogs
If you and Fido are planning to spend time outside in the hot sun, watch for these signs in dogs:
- Excessive panting
- Rapid breathing
- Excessive drooling
- Skin that’s hot to the touch
- Bright red gums that transition to white gums
- Dry mucous membranes
- Imbalance
- Hyperactivity
- Pupil dilation
- Muscle tremors
Symptoms in cats
Cats can be just as susceptible to exhaustion caused by hot weather as dogs. Look for these warning signs of overheating in your cat:
- Panting
- Rapid heartbeat
- Dark red gums
- Lethargy
- Skin that’s hot to the touch
- Abnormal vocalizing
- Restless behavior
How It’s Treated
Pet heat stroke can be treated, but animals have a better chance of full recovery and no lasting health issues if you intervene as soon as you suspect that they’re getting too hot.
- If you notice your cat or dog exhibiting signs, the first step is to try to cool them down immediately. Remove them from the situation, if possible. If they’re outside, bring them inside where it’s cooler.
- Spritz them with cool water (don’t use ice-cold water) and point a fan towards them with gentle airflow. If you have a cooling mat, place your cat or dog on top of it to help with getting rid of extra heat. It’s important to remember not to use extremely cold water or air, as this could make their situation worse.
- Take them to the veterinarian immediately if you’ve just noticed signs of them getting too hot. If it doesn’t seem like a severe case, you can have them examined by your local veterinarian. If they’re experiencing heat stroke, it is an emergency. It’s crucial that you seek emergency vet care immediately at your local veterinary hospital or emergency vet center.
- When you get to the vet, they’ll most likely take your pet’s temperature and check their vital signs. Treatment decisions will be based on the condition they’re in, but depending on the severity of their condition, could include:
- Ongoing treatment for an optimal recovery
- Intravenous fluids
- Cooling treatments
- Medications
- Testing/monitoring organ function
Prevent Heat Stroke in Pets
The best way to protect your furry friend from pet heat stroke is to follow the right steps for prevention on hot days. You can easily prevent it from ever happening with the right knowledge.
Most susceptible dog breeds
Brachycephalic breeds (which include pugs, Boston terriers, French bulldogs, English bulldogs, and more) are known for their short noses and flat faces. But these breeds are also known for a higher risk of certain health issues, including those related to high temperatures.
It’s important that if you own one of these breeds, you practice hypervigilance in keeping them cool, especially during the summer months. Because they don’t have sweat glands as we do, dogs pant to try to cool themselves, but that just isn’t enough for these specific breeds. With an increased risk, your pug or bulldog won’t take as long to develop it as other breeds.
Proper hydration
When it’s hot outside, your dog or cat should have access to water at all times. Check to make sure they’re actually drinking water throughout the day, too. If you know you’re going to be out and about throughout the day, bring a portable dog bowl with you and make sure you have access to water.
Keeping cool
There are a number of ways to keep your cat or dog cool. The best way is to limit the amount of time you spend in the hot weather all at once. Take breaks by finding an indoor spot for them to chill and cool off before going back out into the hot weather. Choose to go outside during a time when it’s cooler or when there’s more shade, if that’s an option.
You can also invest in a cooling vest for your dog or cat that will help regulate their body temperature when you know you’ll be out on a hot day.
Don’t leave them in a hot car
This may seem like common sense, but it’s important to never leave your dog or cat inside a vehicle on a hot day. Leaving your four-legged friend in a hot car could lead directly to pet heat stroke, and some states even have laws that allow members of the public to break car windows if they see one alone in a car that isn’t running.
The inside of your car can get to be 20 degrees hotter than the temperature outside, and that temperature will only climb the longer your pet is in the car. It’s never a safe bet to leave them alone in a car on a hot day. The risks far outweigh any convenience. If you know that you’re going somewhere, make sure they can accompany you, or leave them at home.
Keeping Them Cool and Happy
Heat-related issues are a real emergency for their health and can easily happen with the right weather conditions.
Remember to:
- Monitor your pet during hot weather
- Prevent overheating if you know that you’ll be in hot conditions
- Bring them to your veterinarian if they show any symptoms
Going through the right steps to prevent illnesses related to hot weather in pets ensures your furry companion lives a long and happy life.
Choose Your Local PetWellClinic to Keep Your Furry Friend Safe
Hydration, shade, and avoiding overexertion can’t be emphasized enough for the prevention of pet heat stroke. For more in-depth health support, PetWellClinic offers preventative care that catches health risks early.
This includes physical exams, vaccines, lab tests, and prevention products for parasites such as:
- Heartworms
- Fleas
- Ticks
Our puppy and kitten wellness packages also include deworming and heartworm prevention, which support overall health during summer months when pests and illness risks increase.
We operate as a walk-in veterinary clinic. This makes it easier to get timely preventative care, as well as treatment for minor illnesses and chronic conditions, as well.
Find Your Local PetWellClinic®
Pet heat stroke happens when pets cannot regulate their body temperature in hot conditions, causing signs like panting, drooling, and lethargy. Quick cooling and veterinary care are essential. Prevention includes hydration, limiting heat exposure, and avoiding hot cars. PetWellClinic helps protect pets through preventative care and convenient walk-in services.
PetWellClinic provides convenient, affordable veterinary care for pet owners. Our locations and services are built with convenience in mind. Stop by with your pet any time, no appointment necessary!