What is Heatstroke in Pets? Signs, Prevention, Treatment

During summer, many pets become a little uncomfortable with the heat and humidity and also the increased abundance of parasites that thrive in warmer weather.

This information will help you understand and protect your pet against some of the common dangers of summer, including heatstroke, sunburn and biting parasites.

How do pets normally lose heat?

To maintain a normal body temperature, pets lose heat through evaporative cooling, similar to humans when we sweat:

• Dogs and cats can sweat through their paw pads, but as this is a small surface area, it is ineffective for heat loss
• Dogs use salivation and panting to lose heat. Taking fast, shallow breaths maximises airflow over the moist surfaces lining their nasal cavity and mouth. Heat is lost through evaporative cooling as the moisture leaves these surfaces and is exhaled
• Cats also rely on evaporative cooling to lose heat, but instead of panting, they moisten their coat with saliva by licking themselves

However, these mechanisms of losing heat become ineffective when environmental humidity exceeds 80%.

What is heatstroke?

Heatstroke or hyperthermia:

• Is a life-threatening condition where the body temperature is extremely high – greater than 41ºC
• Occurs when the heat production in the body overwhelms its ability to lose heat
• Results in a body-wide inflammatory response and can lead to multiple organ failure
• Is most common in the summer when conditions are hot and humidity is high
• Can also occur due to strenuous physical activity or exercise

Situations that can put your pet at risk of heatstroke

Most commonly:

• Being confined in a car, even when the windows are open and the car is parked in the shade
• Being confined without access to shade or water
• Overexertion on a very hot and humid day

Other factors that make some pets more susceptible to heatstroke:

• Obesity
• Cardiac and/or respiratory disease
• Age – old and very young animals are most at risk
• Thick or heavy coats
• Short-faced (brachycephalic) breeds, e.g. Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, use more energy panting and have smaller nasal

Signs of heatstroke

Heatstroke can vary from mild to life-threatening. A high body temperature damages cells and causes a systemic or whole body inflammatory response, damaging vital organs including the liver, kidneys and brain. Symptoms of heatstroke include:

• Rapid breathing or panting – although common in dogs, panting is rare and unusual in cats, but can occur with heatstroke
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Abnormal bleeding – red lesions on the skin caused by small broken blood vessels, blood in vomit, blood in faeces
• Increased heart rate
• Muscle tremors
• Disorientation and restlessness
• Seizures
• Collapse

Treatment and prevention

Seek veterinary attention immediately is you suspect heatstroke - early treatment improves chance of survival.

• Body temperature needs to be lowered gradually
• Cool the pet with a wet towel or water and then fan the pet to allow for evaporative cooling – ensure the air conditioner in the car is on as you drive to the vet
• Don’t place any animal with possible heatstroke into an ice cold bath. Rather than lowering body temperature, rapid cooling can minimise heat loss and worsen heatstroke

Another danger of placing animals into an ice cold bath is hypothermia. Heatstroke compromises the body’s ability to regulate its temperature, so animals suffering heatstroke that are cooled to a hypothermic state may not be able to re-establish a normal temperature, which can be fatal.

Prevention

• Ensure pets have access to shade, ventilation and fresh drinking water – for pets that often tip over their water bowl, choose one made of heavy material (e.g. ceramic) and provide more than one source of water
• Bring pets indoors into air conditioning on extremely hot days, and/or provide covered shelter outside
• Provide access to water for cooling off in the shade, e.g. a dog wading pool, or a wet towel to lie on – always supervise animals in a wading pool

Sun protection is important

Sunburn is most common in animals with white fur and pink skin and pets with thin or shorn fur coats, particularly if living outside.

• Excessive sun damage can lead to skin cancers, most commonly on the nose, tips of the ears and the skin around the eyes – some animals are at risk of developing skin cancers on their belly
• Use pet sunscreen or protective clothing – don’t use human sunscreen, as some of the ingredients can be toxic to pets

Protecting your pet from nasties

Summer is the ideal time for fleas, ticks and other biting insects, so protect your pets from the pain and irritation of these nasties with the Advantage Family range of products.