Heat Exhaustion in Dogs: How to Prevent It and How to Treat It

Summertime brings vacation, pool days, and fun but for our furry friends it can cause some real dangers. One of the biggest summer hazards for dogs is heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Keep your pup safe this summer by understanding what causes heat exhaustion, how to detect it, and how to treat it. 

What is Heat Exhaustion?

Heat exhaustion occurs when a dogs body temperature rises above their normal range (100-102.5 degrees fahrenheit), and they are no longer able to regulate it on their own. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can become heat stroke, which is fatal.

How to Detect Heat Exhaustion

Luckily, heat exhaustion is easily detectable. Keep an eye on your dog in hot weather for these common symptoms:

• Excessive panting and difficulty breathing. Watch for constant, face panting as a sign of overheating.
• Dehydration. A dehydrated dog will experience a dry nose, excessive panting, and sunken eyes.
• Excessive Drooling. Keep an eye on the amount of drool your dog is producing. Lots of drool, or thick and sticky drool, is a symptom of heat exhaustion. 
• Fever. An overly warm dog, or a dog experiencing a hot and dry nose could have a fever. Keep a thermometer on hand to check your dogs temperature if you’re concerned about overheating. A temperature of 103 degrees fahrenheit is considered a fever. 
• Discolored gums. Bright red, gray, purple or bluish gums and tongue is a sign your dog is too hot.
• Lethargy. If your dog appears weak or lethargic they may be experiencing heat exhaustion. 
• Vomiting. Overheated dogs may vomit or even have diarrhea. 

How to Treat Heat Exhaustion

If your dog is experiencing any symptoms of heat exhaustion, begin to treat them immediately. Bring them to a cooler location and use cold water to cool them down. A cold bath or wet rags are helpful in bringing down a dogs body temperature. Apply extra water to their ears and paws. Dogs sweat from their feet and so it is important that these areas be cooled down quickly. 

Check your dogs temperature every few minutes to make sure it is coming down to normal range. As they cool down, provide them with cool drinking water to keep them hydrated. 

Depending on how severe the heat exhaustion was, call your dogs vet as soon as possible. Severe heat exhaustion can cause shock, dehydration, and even kidney failure. If you believe your dog was experiencing extreme heat exhaustion or heat stroke, call your vet for further instruction. 

If your dog becomes severely ill, loses consciousness, is extremely lethargic, or is vomiting frequently, take them to an emergency vet hospital immediately. 

How to Prevent Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion in dogs is a major concern and it can be scary. Luckily, it is extremely preventable. To keep your dog safe this summer:

• Never leave your dog in a parked car. Dogs are more sensitive to heat than humans are! Do not ever leave your dog in a parked car, not even for a minute, not even with the windows cracked. A parked car can become 20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature in 10 minutes.
• Don’t leave your dog outside for too long. Monitor your dog closely during outside time in the hotter months. Don’t leave them outside, unattended for hours. When your dog does spend time outdoors in the summer, ensure they have plenty of shady areas and cool water. 
• Avoid walks at the hottest parts of the day. Walking your dog is important year round. They need the mental and physical stimulation that comes with daily walks. However, keep your walks during the summer to the early morning or the late evening. Don’t walk them during the peak temperature hours such as the afternoon. Keep in mind that the pavement can become incredibly hot, so not only are you risking heat stroke, you’re risking burned paw pads as well.
• Keep your house cool. Even when you aren’t home, your dog likely is. Keep your house at a cool temperature all summer long so that your dog is comfortable. If you don’t want to run your AC while you’re gone, have plenty of electric fans on to keep the temperature cool. 
• Make sure they have water. Dogs should have constant access to water, especially during the hot summer months. Always keep a fresh, cool bowl of water available to allow your dog to keep hydrated and decrease the risk of heat exhaustion.  

Summer is a great time to make memories and have fun with your dog, it just requires some extra precautions. If you have any questions or concerns about keeping your pup safe this summer, contact your veterinarian. 

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