Heat Exhaustion And Heat Stroke Can Kill Your Dog And You!

[Guest Energy11]

THESE TEMPS ARE UNREAL!! PLEASE, PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND SAFE!!!

 

After reading the thread about the greyhound who went for a long walk in the heat and humidity, I wanted to post this information as an FYI.

 

Most of we "seasoned," greyhound owners know the dangers of the the intense summer heat and humidity on these dogs, as well as ourselves, but some of the newer GH owners may not. The heat indexes have been in the triple digits in a lot of the country, and it is just plain dangerous out there!

 

Here is a link by Dr. Susan Stack about heat stroke and other heat related emergencies, as well as a small FYI piece from the first aid presentation I did for Mt. Hounds.

 

Please everyone ... limit your dogs' walks to early morning and late evening, and even then, keep them short in this heat! During the heat of the day, short potty breaks only. Also, please watch yourselves! When I worked ambulance and ER, I saw two people DIE of heat stroke in Florida. Be careful out there!

 

Dr. Stack's link:

http://www.gcnm.org/heatstroke.html

 

My segment: Basic rule-of-thumb. If you are hot, your dogs are hot! A person and dog's worst enemy in the summer is HUMIDITY! This condition adds a lot of moisture to the air, and inhibits the body's ability to cool itself! In the summer/hot weather, only walk your dogs early in the mornings, or shortly after the sun goes down. Avoid outside exposure from about 2-7 p.m. ... THE hottest time of the day! If you think your dog is overheated, ...you can tell by excessive panting, weakness, and lethargy, remove him from the heat, into a shaded or air conditioned area. You CAN use wet towels on him to cool, stand him in a wading pool or tub of cool water, or immerse in TEPID, not cold, water. After the dog is cooled down, you can offer a sports drink, mixed ½ drink, to ½ water. This enables the electrolytes to get into the cells more quickly. If you dog remains lethargic, or is running a high temperature, is panting heavily, has blood in the urine or muscle weakness, get him to the vet immediately. Heat Stroke IS a MAJOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY!

 

Black top, concrete, or other paved surfaces get EXTREMELY HOT in the summer! A good thing to do before letting your dog s walk on these surfaces, is to put your palm to the surface. *If it feels hot, do NOT let your dog walk on it! This could severely burn their pads! Remember, WE have shoes to protect our feet ... our dogs, have only their tender pads! Try to find an alternative route away from any types of pavement in the hot weather! Above all, do NOT let them stand on these surfaces for long periods of time.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Energy11

[Guest greyhound1]

So very true. Thanks for posting.

[CaliforniaGreys]

Thanks for posting Dee

[Guest TeddysMom]

Thank you for posting this. It is a good reminder for everyone.

[Guest kydie]

thanks for posting, I read a post where if a dog is in this over heated situation to apply alochol to it's pads, now my vet, says NO NO, this can be absorbed through the pads, just like a human can absorb it through the skin,,,, I have a llewellyn setter, that gets heat exhustion very easily, and had to cool him down twice in his life, I have also been told never apply cold wet compresses over his body, as this can hold heat in, but rather cold water to feet, belly, face, cold water to drink and get to a fan or A.C. fast,,, any thoughts here?

[Guest Energy11]

A lot of people use wading pools with cool water and put their dogs in these. It is a good way to cool their feet, and the rest of their bodies.

 

I know of someone personally, who was traveling with their greys, and got stuck in a three-hour-long traffic jam. Her senior grey heated up badly, and she was resourceful enough to take him into the rest room, and filled poop bags with water, wrapping his feet. She also wet down paper towels and wiped him. He cooled well, and was fine, thank God!

 

Here is something I found about cooling towels and blankets: Cool Coats - Using a terry cloth towel, wet it and drape it over your greyhound. You can also use a dog coat pattern and make one for your greyhound. But you must not let this coat get hot, or it traps in the heat, vs cooling the dog down. So it must be dipped in cool water frequently.

 

 

 

 

[Guest LindsaySF]

I have also been told never apply cold wet compresses over his body, as this can hold heat in, but rather cold water to feet, belly, face, cold water to drink and get to a fan or A.C. fast,,, any thoughts here?

True. In racing and coursing they tell us not to drape wetted down items on the dog, it can hold the heat in. Rather wet them down (the undercarriage and feet mostly) and allow the water to evaporate, or even better park them in front of a fan.

 

 

 

 

[Guest TikiTime]

I called the Vet and I'm bringing a sample in and having it tested. I fear for the worst after reading the posts.

[Guest kydie]

I was really concerned about this alcohol thing to the pads, I know years ago this was done to people to cool them, but has not been done for many, many, years as it is absorbed through the skin in people, and would that not be true for dogs?

[Guest Energy11]

I was really concerned about this alcohol thing to the pads, I know years ago this was done to people to cool them, but has not been done for many, many, years as it is absorbed through the skin in people, and would that not be true for dogs?

 

 

I, too, am curious about the alcohol on the pads thing. I looked it up, and yes, it is recommended, but, personally, I wouldn't use it. Alcohol can cause evaporation too fast (*at least in humans). To me, it is just as effective to use cold water on their pads and feed, and/or let them stand in a cool wading pool.

[TheFullHouse]

Dogs are pretty smart. If you've ever seen a dog in the turn out pen who is getting hot, they head for the water buckets to put their feet in it. I was taught, water on the feet, belly, underarms. Thanks for posting the reminder Dee, especially for the new greyhound owners.

[Guest hlpnhounds]

thanks for posting, I read a post where if a dog is in this over heated situation to apply alochol to it's pads, now my vet, says NO NO, this can be absorbed through the pads, just like a human can absorb it through the skin,,,, I have a llewellyn setter, that gets heat exhustion very easily, and had to cool him down twice in his life, I have also been told never apply cold wet compresses over his body, as this can hold heat in, but rather cold water to feet, belly, face, cold water to drink and get to a fan or A.C. fast,,, any thoughts here?

 

We sometimes use alcohol on the pads of pets that have an elevated temperature (>104.5) if it is due to a fever from a disease process but not from an overheating situation. If the pet is overheated, it is best to cool the pet slowly with wet towels and tepid water as was suggested but NOT with ice packs or very cold water as this can do more harm than good.

[Guest VaGreymom]

Excellent Reminder. Thank you for posting.

[cacky]

Ms Dee- New to the greyhound ourselfs we allways use the rule- I'm hot the greys are hot, same with the cold.

Real quick I thought I read somewhere that a cold beer is the best for a grey in trouble with the heat.

[Guest Energy11]

Ms Dee- New to the greyhound ourselfs we allways use the rule- I'm hot the greys are hot, same with the cold.

Real quick I thought I read somewhere that a cold beer is the best for a grey in trouble with the heat.

 

 

Well, the beer isn't good for the greys ... no alcohol is, but you can have one if you'd like :-)

 

As long as you brought this up, alcohol is also dehydrating, so you be careful, too, in the heat! A lot of people drink iced tea or alcoholic beverages, and think they are hydrating themselves, but they are really dehydrating themselves.

 

And, yep, if you're hot the greyhounds are hot, ... same as the cold!

 

Hope you all stay cool!

[macoduck]

I called the Vet and I'm bringing a sample in and having it tested. I fear for the worst after reading the posts.

I've been worried about your boy since reading about him in your other thread. I hope he is better today.

My Thane had no symptoms of kidney cancer until the day he peed blood. He was gone soon afterward.

[Guest Energy11]

Bumping due to latest heat-related post!

 

PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!! NO running or walking during the heat of the day in this heat! HEAT IS DANGEROUS!

 

Mine are ALL so stir crazy, and so am I, but, we don't walk, because it is just plain too hot.

[Batmom]

Thanks for the reminder, Dee.

 

The other day, my black hound decided to sunbathe for just a few minutes. I went over to give him a scritch. Temps were only low 80s, with a breeze, and his fur was nearly too hot to touch. In @ 2.5 minutes total, he was ready to go in.

 

Black pavement especially can burn their feet. If it takes you a couple minutes to load/unload, find some grass or shade where you can do that.

 

If there's no shade at an event or a walk ... don't go.

[Guest Energy11]

Thanks for the reminder, Dee.

 

The other day, my black hound decided to sunbathe for just a few minutes. I went over to give him a scritch. Temps were only low 80s, with a breeze, and his fur was nearly too hot to touch. In @ 2.5 minutes total, he was ready to go in.

 

Black pavement especially can burn their feet. If it takes you a couple minutes to load/unload, find some grass or shade where you can do that.

 

If there's no shade at an event or a walk ... don't go.

 

What IS it with black hounds? :-) My Oakly LOVES to lie in the sun. The are all soooooo stir crazy here! BUT, it is just to *&^%#$$!!! HOTT to be out long. They go out in the small front pen, and four times a day with us in the larger one. No walks yet, as it is JUST TOO HOTT!! I am HOPING "The Weathermen of Sears ... :-)" are right about the "cool down" mid week. Hugs to your hounds!

[seeh2o]

Thanks for the reminder post. I went out on Friday a little later than usual and the marine layer had burned off. We we walked with my neighbor and her dog, a furry black shepherd mix and half way through the walk mine were really panting. Her dog wasn't phased by the sun, but my two were ready to get home. He meandered a lot, so we would walk over to the shady areas to wait for him to catch up. If I get them out for their walk before 8am we're usually safe.

 

Count my black beauty, Claire, among the sun worshiping black dogs. When I'm home she likes to go outside and find a sunny spot on the top terrace (though today she was on the bottom terrace), rest her chin on a brick and sun bathe. She's always panting when she comes in, but will go back outside and do it again several times a day. Carl won't go out to the yard, he glares at me until I put his bed in a sunny spot on the patio (he's out there right now). Oddballs!

[Guest LindsaySF]

If there's no shade at an event or a walk ... don't go.

I went to the PWP picnic today and it was very warm. I had my pop-up tent and ex-pen set up, and even walking from there across the field the dogs were done, panting like crazy. I kept spraying them and making them lay in the shade. The kiddie pools helped also. We're back home in the AC!

[Guest TeddysMom]

This thread needs to be bumped to the top everyday as long as these temps are high. We don't go for walks until the sun goes down and then only for 15 minutes max, by that time they are panting and ready to get back in the AC.

[Guest Energy11]

This thread needs to be bumped to the top everyday as long as these temps are high. We don't go for walks until the sun goes down and then only for 15 minutes max, by that time they are panting and ready to get back in the AC.

 

 

I'll be happy to "bump it up" once or twice a week, myself, or you guys can do it too! :-)

 

***Just talked to my 85 yr old Dad in NY State (The Hudson Valley), and he is "feeling woozie" from the heat! REFUSES to get a room AC. Worries the HECK out of me! The heat is extra-dangerous to the elderly!

Edited June 27, 2010 by Energy11

[Guest K9_Lady]

A great reminder!

[Guest TeddysMom]

This thread needs to be bumped to the top everyday as long as these temps are high. We don't go for walks until the sun goes down and then only for 15 minutes max, by that time they are panting and ready to get back in the AC.

 

 

I'll be happy to "bump it up" once or twice a week, myself, or you guys can do it too! :-)

 

***Just talked to my 85 yr old Dad in NY State (The Hudson Valley), and he is "feeling woozie" from the heat! REFUSES to get a room AC. Worries the HECK out of me! The heat is extra-dangerous to the elderly!

 

Count on it from here, it is just too important to let pass.