Heat Exhaustion

[Guest loki1]

Please forgive me if this is in the wrong forum, but I'm not exactly sure where to ask my question. I have been walking my 2 year old for 3 months on a 10 km walk. I had assumed that a greyhound needed the exercise but I'm finding as time goes on, his stamina is getting worse, not better. I now realize they are sprinters not endurance dogs but I am wondering if the heat is playing a factor. He foams at the mouth and truly struggles to make it home. Are greyhounds susceptible to the heat and dehydration, more so than other breads. Am I hurting him by doing these walks. Today was 30 degrees Celsius and we didn't go for our walk, but he panted like he'd just run a marathon. Do we need to take extra special care in the summer? We had plenty of water and shade and he slept most of the day. Is this just my dog or a greyhound thing?

[4My2Greys]

They are very susceptible to heat. If he is foaming at the mouth and struggling to get home yes you are hurting him.

[BatterseaBrindl]

None of my hounds do well in the heat.

We would not walk at all if it's 30.

Please shorten your walks to 1 or 2k!!

[Guest normaandburrell]

I agree with the first two posters. Greyhounds do not need the amount of exercise that other large breeds need. Also, they are very susceptible to both heat and cold. In warm weather (which is most of the time in Florida) I only walk my dog at dawn and dusk, and only for 10-20 minutes, with a quick turnout to go potty in midday. Panting excessively and frothing are signs of distress.

[kudzu]

Yes, I think the problem is likely the heat not the distance. Though few Greys need that amount of exercise, a couple of mine would not only be fine with a 10k walk but would thoroughly enjoy it if there were good sights & smells. Remember that Greyhounds have a much larger muscle mass than many other breeds. Muscle use generates a lot of heat. So when Greyhounds exercise they are capable of using more energy, thus generating more heat. Large muscle mass also takes a while to cool down which predisposes them further to overheating. In addition, Greyhounds have minimal subcutaneous fat and a very thin hair coat. Thus they have little insulation from heat and cold. That can only complicate things when temps are high and the sun is shining on them. Then consider that the panting dogs do to cool off also requires a good deal of effort and that effort generates more heat. At a certain point, the effort to cool off can actually make things worse.

 

When it gets warmer you can still get out for exercise if you find shady areas to walk, go at a moderate pace, take frequent breaks to evaluate your dog's condition, and usually reduce the distance accordingly. Let your dog's response to exercise be your guide. Do you know how to take your dog's temperature? It may help to check his temp if you think it's possible he is suffering from heat stress or worse. You already know the info in this article but I will include the link below as it contains important information that can really help:

 

Heat Stroke and Heat Stress in Greyhounds

[racindog]

OMG yes they are much more suceptible to heat -in my experience-than "regular" dogs. Please don't let your guy get to the point he has to begin to struggle-he could die so quickly from it. I actually have a thermometer and take their temperature if I even suspect they may possibly be overheating. This is something you don't risk or play with. They can stroke out at 105F and if they make it to 108F irreversible cellular damage occurs. And it can happen very quickly. I have supplemented with electrolytes and sodium bicarb per a vets direction with one of my hounds. Another simply could not tolerate ANY heat. I had to be sure AC was always available to him- one day it was only 26.7 C and he suddenly overheated and nearly died just hangling around a shaded park with me. Thank goodness you sensed the problem becasue your intuiton is spot on. Was a smart thing you did to find some other greyhound peeps to check with. Give your boy a hug for me!

[cleptogrey]

sun or shade? humid or dry? they all go into what a dog especially a dog w/o insulation (greyhound) can take.

 

try early early walkies or night time(10pm) walks and maybe split the distance up.walk like a vampire- stay out of the sun! mine can tolerate the distance and they are both 7, i have always schlepped them on long walks, but during the hot humid months i go for the cooler times of the day. i cool mine down w/ a hose starting under the chest and groin area and then the back,neck and head. but that's when they decide that it's imperative to run on hot days.

[Feisty49]

As everybody above said! While individual dogs, including Greyhounds, are different in what they can tolerate, Greyhounds in particular are susceptible to overheating. You're very lucky your boy didn't come down with heat stroke. Foaming at the mouth in a dog or human is a sign that something is wrong.

 

My Annie does not like heat, humidity or a high dew point. She quickly pants on hot summer days and walks slower. We walk early and late. If the heat is extreme, we don't walk at all. The cool weather we're having in Upstate New York is right up her alley. She's loving it and prances down the street like she owns the world. I won't put a coat on her until the temp is below 30 and even then, if it's a sunny day with no wind, she'll be too hot in a coat so I won't use one.

 

Please, read the signs your boy is giving you and adjust your walking distance accordingly.

[JohnF]

Yes, as the others said it's really fortunate you realised that the foaming and reluctance to exercise were indicating a possible crisis situation.

 

My Peggy says it's too hot to sprint run flat-out at 65F (18C) (even 60 if totally humid) and too hot to walk far at 80F (27C).

 

Your big danger is Exertional Rhabdomyolysis which, when really bad, can lead to death from organ failure.

 

They love a 2 minute burst of zoomies in the park followed by a 3/4 hour mooch. I haven't managed to get my Greyhound to trail-bike happily like my Borzois used to do.