Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs

By Nate Baxter DVM (bold face and emphasis by webmaster)

The first thing that needs to be understood is that dogs and people

are different enough that most of the info cannot cross lines. I do not

profess to know what the appropriate procedures for people other than

what I learned in first aid.

Dogs do not lose enough electrolytes thru exercise to make a

difference, but if the dog gets truly into heat stroke the physiology

changes will make them necessary. But oral replacement at that point Is

futile, they need intravenous fluids and electrolytes and lots of it.

Cooling: Evaporative cooling is the most efficient mean of cooling.

However, in a muggy environment, the moisture will not evaporate so

cooling does not happen well. I cool with the coldest water I can find

and will use ice depending on the situation. The best way is to

run water over the dog, so there is always fresh water in contact with

the skin. When you immerse a dog in a tub, the water trapped in the hair

coat will get warm next to the dog, and act as an insulator against the

cool water and cooling stops. If you can run water over

The dog and place it in front of a fan that is the best. Misting the dog

with water will only help if you are in a dry environment or in front of

a fan. Just getting the dog wet is not the point, you want the water to

be cool itself, or to evaporate.

For MOST situations all you will need to do is get the dog in a

cooler environment, i.e. shade, or in the cab of the truck with the air

conditioning on (driving around so the truck does not overheat and the

AC is more efficient). Up to a couple of years ago, I was very

concerned about my dogs getting too hot in the back of my black pickup

with a black cap. New white truck fixed a lot of that problem. When I

had one dog I just pulled the wire crate out of the car and put it in

some shade and hopefully a breeze. But having 2 dogs and

running from one stake to another, that was not feasible. So I built a

platform to put the wire crates on, this raises the dog up in the truck

box where the air flow is better. Then I placed a 3 speed box fan in

front blowing on the dogs with a foot of space to allow better

airflow. I purchased a power inverter that connects to the battery and

allows the 3-speed fan to run from the truck power. It has an automatic

feature that prevents it from draining the battery. When I turned that

fan on medium I would find that the dogs where asleep, breathing slowly

and appeared very relaxed and comfortable in a matter of 20 minutes or

less, even on very hot muggy days.

Alcohol: I do carry it for emergencies. It is very effective at

cooling due to the rapid evaporation. It should be used when other

methods are not working. You should be on your way to the veterinarian

before you get to this point. We recommend using rubbing

alcohol, which is propylene alcohol, not ethyl, for those of you not

aware. So do not try to drink it. Alcohol should be used on the pads and

over the bones. Use a little bit and let it evaporate, you can use too

much as some is absorbed through the skin. There are concerns about

toxicity, but you have to get the temperature down.

I purchased those cooling pads that you soak in cold water, but found

that the dogs would not lay on them. I would hold them on the back of a

dog that just worked to get a quick cool, but have not use them for

years. I also bought a pair of battery operated fans but found them

pretty useless. Spend your money on the power inverter and get a real fan.

Watching temperature: If you feel your dog is in danger of heat

injury, check its temp and write it down. Keep checking the temp every 3

minutes. I recommend getting a "rectal glass thermometer. The digital

ones for the drug store I have found to be very unreliable,

Don't forget to shake it down completely each time, sounds silly, but

when are worried about your companion, things tend to get mixed up. This

is VERY IMPORTANT**once the temp STARTS to drop, STOP ALL COOLING

EFFORTS. The cooling process will continue even though you have stopped.

If the temp starts at 106.5, and then next time it drops to 105.5, stop

cooling the dog, dry it off, and continue monitoring. You will be amazed

how it continues to go down. If you do not stop until the temp is 102,

the temp will drop way too low. I cannot emphasis this point enough.

have a few laps of water. Water in the stomach does not cool the dog,

You just need to keep the mouth wet so the panting is more effective. Do

not worry about hydration until the temp has started down. A dog panting

heavily taking in large amounts of water is a risk of bloat. Due to the

heavy panting they will swallow air, mixed with a large amount of water.

They can bloat. Once the temp is going down and panting has slowed to

more normal panting then allow water. The dog will rehydrate itself

after temp is normal. If the dog has a serious problem and even though

you have gotten the temp normal, get the dog to a vet, as it can still

need IV fluids and some medication. Also, a case of heat stroke can

induce a case of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (not parvo), with a ton of

very bloody diarrhea and a lot of fluid and electrolyte loss. These cases

need aggressive treatment. The best method of treatment is prevention.

Learn to watch your dog, and see the changes in the size of the tongue,

and how quickly it goes down. Learn your dog’s response to the different environments,

and be careful when you head south for an early season hunt test or trial. I

have been to Nashville at the end of May, only 5 hours away,

but the difference in temp and humidity did affect the dogs as they were

used to more spring weather in Ohio. Try different things in training to

help the dog cool and learn what works better. Another very important

point: Do not swim your hot dog to cool it then put

it in a box/tight crate. Remember, evaporation can not take place in a

dog. Carry a stake out chain, and let the dog cool and dry before

putting it up. I demonstrated this lesson this spring with my 10

month old pup. After doing a 15 minute session in yard drill on a warm

70+ degree day, she was panting pretty hard and was pretty hot. She was OK

but it was time to stop. Just for the heck of it I took her temp. She was

103.6, above normal but not too bad for a dog that had just finished

working. In my back yard I have a 300 gallon Rubbermaid tub filled

with water. I took her to it and she jumped in and out 3-4 times. She

appeared totally improved, tongue was much smaller, and eyes brighter

and her full spring was back into her step. So I re-took her temp and it

was 104.2, so even though she looked better she was hotter. This is a

perfect lesson to show not get a hot dog wet and then put them in a box.

The water on her skin caused the blood vessels to constrict, decreasing

blood flow to the skin. Therefore the hot blood was shunted back to the

dog's core and retained the heat. You may have felt the same thing,

after exercising but still being very warm, take a shower and get cooled

off but as soon as you turn the shower off you start sweating again.

I know this is a bit long, but hopefully this is easy to understand

and helps provide some useful information.

Remember: Prevention, learn your dog. It is worth the time and effort.

____________ ______

Nate Baxter, DVM

Lebanon, OH

blacklab@iac. net