For pet owners trying to enjoy a pleasant summer day with man's best friend, it only takes minutes for beaming rays of sunshine and humid conditions to spell disaster. It's important to act fast when signs of heat stroke in dogs emerge. Overlooked cases can cause serious health complications, such as irreversible organ damage, coma and even worse--death.
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Significance
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Heat stroke in dogs occurs when canines cannot maintain their regular body temperature of around 101 degrees F.
Identification
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Signs of heat stroke in dogs include heavy panting, excessive drooling, increased heart rate, weakness, vomiting, pale gums, bright red tongue and confusion.
Considerations
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Dog heat stroke typically occurs in very young, old, sick or overweight dogs; short-face breeds (pugs); double-coat breeds (chow chows) and those bred for colder climates (huskies).
Misconceptions
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Dogs in water do overheat and can suffer the signs of heat stroke when swimming hard or surrounded by water above 75 degrees F.
Warning
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Internal organs break down when body temperature goes above 106 degrees F--an owner only has minutes to respond.
Treatment
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Ways to treat dogs with heat stroke is to lower body temperature by supplying cold water and hosing them down or giving them a cool bath.
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