First Aid:
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HEAT ILLNESS
Joanne Bibby – Fursafe® Heat illness is the initial stage of heat stroke and your job is to prevent it at all costs.
Prevent heat illness and you’ll prevent heat stroke! Heat stroke is a state of hyperthermia (where the dog has a dangerously high body temperature) – a condition in which the body loses the ability to cool down after being exposed to extreme and / or prolonged heat. Dogs eliminate heat by panting and by way of sweat glands in their paw pads. However once a dog is unable to self-regulate, their temperature rises and their life is threatened. The signs and symptoms below outline what to keep an eye out for and PREVENT them.
CAUSES OF HEAT ILLNESS EXERTIONAL / ENVIRONMENTAL
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Hot weather, especially humid environments; Leaving a dog in a hot car; Dog left outside without shade or water; Excessive exercise/activity on hot days; Walking on hot roads; Inside rooms without cooling systems; and Lack of acclimatisation to hot environments.
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DOG WORLD November 2021
ACTIVITIES WHICH CAN EXACERBATE HEAT ILLNESS
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Running with your dog during the hotter part of the day (in Qld that could be any time);
Boating with your dog. If you are out on the water for long periods of times be aware of exposure to glare, sun, heat and dehydration;
Sporting events where your dog is required to do activities in full sun for long periods;
Hiking / walking long distances and not drinking sufficient water for the particular need of the dog size and breed;
Travelling to hot and humid cities / towns where your dog is not use to the tropical, sub-tropical or drought regions of Australia.
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BIOLOGICAL / MEDICAL
• Obesity; • Large breeds greater than 15kg body weight, e.g.
Labradors, Retrievers, Bulldogs;
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Poor physical fitness;
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Exaggerated physical features – Brachycephalic breeds (flat faced), Bulldogs, Pugs; short limbs, excessive skin wrinkling;
Medical conditions – respiratory, general illness, seizures, dehydration; and
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Puppies / Elderly Dogs.
