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Joined: 15 Oct 2004
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HEAT STROKE SUMMER IS COMING GUYS LOOK IN
Hello again
Thought i would post this thread on heat stroke
NOW HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN A HOT ROOM WITH A FUR COAT NO I THOUGHT SO. SO DON'T PUT YOUR POOCH THROUGH IT
Now if you have dogs like Kiptower just put them in a bowl and they have thier own swimming pool :mrgreen: LOL
On a serious point please read as it might save your pooch or somebody elses on day.
iam not a vet and give advise for educational purposes see my sticky on the pets forum.
Heat stroke occurs when the body temperature is 106 degrees of higher and it does not take long to literally boil the internal organs. If this should occur i the first thing to do is to remove the dog from the environment where they overheated. I say environment, because heat related problems are being outdoors. Being in cars, EVEN with the windows cracked, can be a death trap, even if it is only for 5 minutes. Or being in a kennel in an unairconditioned area, or in an area not subjected to good air circulation. So, take the dog to a shaded area or area with a fan as soon as possible. You may have to get help to move the dog, since collapse is possible with severe overheating. The first thing most people do is put ice cold water on the dogs. This is wrong. You use cool water, i.e. hose water or tap water but not ice cold water. Ice cold water causes the blood vessels in the skin to constrict or get smaller and thus will decrease the amount of coolness that can get to the inner core of the body which is what you want to cool down. If possible take their rectal temperature. Begin to cool the dog by wetting with cool water poured over the body. It is best to direct the water to the axillary areas (armpits) and groin areas since these areas are thin skinned and will absorb the coolness faster. I use a hose if possible and I will get towels soaked with cool water and put them in the groin and axillary areas. DO NOT LET THEM DRINK. Spray water in their mouths and put a cool towel over their heads to cover their nose, but not enough to restrict their panting. If available, apply alcohol to their pads of their feet, as the evaporation of alcohol cools even faster. Direct a fan at the dog to help with the evaporation process.
The second most important thing is to get them to a veterinarian as fast as you can. If you cannot get to the veterinarian. For example, if you are at home and your dog is outside and collapsed and you are by yourself, make a makeshift tent over the dog if possible and after wetting the dog down, use a small tube, like one you might have for your air pumps in a fish tank, or even a baster from the kitchen with the bulb taken off and put it gently (lubricated if possible) into the anus and get cool water into the rectum as soon as possible. Again, I do not suggest this unless you cannot get them to the vet
The most common sign of overheating is vigorous panting. gums will be bright red. The dog may be lying on its side, unable to stand, although this is a late sign of overheating. Most of the time they are restless and agitated. Signs of shock will be evident, they will be depressed and their eyes may appear glazed over. Again, since heat stroke is a disease that affects every organ system, the sooner you get them to a veterinarian the better.
When you arrive at the veterinary hospital, the dog MUST be treated aggressively because dogs can develop a disease process called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation or DIC. Veterinarians used to call DIC "Dead in Cage" because in the past we rarely saved any dogs that developed this because we were not able to monitor certain parameters that would allow us to diagnose the disease. Now, there are more ways we can diagnose it and the best thing is that we can now prevent it before it can get too bad. DIC is a process where the body's clotting system is messed up and will affect all organs.
Thanks for reading
NeWfE
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