Summer has arrived and our pets are very vulnerable to heat stroke. What do specialists recommend?
He summer can become a challenge. It is a time in the year when heat waves They appear frequently and the thermometer can reach 40°C or more, depending on the area. Affecting not only people, but also our petswho face difficulties adapting to extreme conditions and high temperatures.
Veterinary experts agree that animals, such as dogs and cats, are more vulnerable than humans in these situations, mainly because they do not have the same ability to eliminate body heat.
Protecting them requires preventive measuressuch as ensuring their hydration, offering them shelter in cool places and preventing them from being exposed to the sun during the most intense hours. And by not regulating their temperature like humans, they are more likely to suffer from heat stroke that can have serious consequences if you don’t act quickly.
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What are the symptoms of heat stroke?
He “heatstroke” is the common name we use to refer to the hyperthermia. A dangerous condition that occurs when our pets they are unable to reduce their body temperaturecausing it to rise quickly.
In dogs, for example, heat stroke can raise their body temperature up to 42ºC, when their normal average temperature is 38 to 39ºC. And since they do not have the ability to perspire like humans, they can only eliminate heat through panting, sweat but only through the pads of their paws (and in contact with cold surfaces), or through areas with little presence of hair ( like the abdomen).
The first symptoms that you will see if your pet suffers from heat stroke will be:
- Very fast breathingforced and difficult, known as panting.
- Difficulty of movement.
- Stagger.
- extreme thirst.
- Excessive salivation.
- Great feeling of tiredness or weakness.
- Fast heart rate.
- Seizures.
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea.
How to protect pets from heat
To protect them from high temperatures:
- They should always have fresh water available.
- Never leave them locked in a car or in unventilated rooms.
- Do not take them out for a walk during intense heat hours.
- Prevent them from walking on hot surfaces, such as asphalt.
- Do not leave them on terraces or patios that do not have adequate shade.
If our dog suffers from heat stroke, the first thing we should do is contact our veterinarian and inform you of the situation.
A first measure is move it to a cool and ventilated place. We must try to lower his body temperature gradual. For this, it is recommended wet your body with warm or cool water (not cold) and use fans to increase air circulation. We do not have to cover it with towels or subject them to extreme measures, such as baths in cold water or using ice.
It is also important to allow drinking small amounts of waterbut without rushing. You should not drink too quickly.
Source: Ambito
