Heat Stroke in Pets: What It Is and How to Avoid It

Heat stroke might sound more like something pet owners over the pond in Top End Australia need to worry about. But Kiwi dogs and cats can also suffer heat stroke on hot summer days. And sometimes on quite mild days too.

With temperatures up, here are the warning signs of heat stroke in pets and what you can do to prevent it.

What is heat stroke?

Sometimes you’ll hear people referring to heat stroke as heat exhaustion or sun stroke. While heat exhaustion is very serious, heat stroke is considered a medical emergency. That said, they’re both caused by a pet getting too hot.

When humans get hot, we sweat to help regulate our temperatures. But dogs and cats don’t have sweat glands all over their bodies like we do. Instead, they have them only on their paws and their noses. Which means when it gets hot, your dog or cat can’t sweat to cool themselves down. So, they’re more susceptible to heat stroke than we are.

Plus, they’re basically wrapped in a fur blanket all year round. This is also why pets with particularly thick coats might overheat more quickly – think Labradors or Huskies, for instance.

How does heat stroke happen?

Essentially, exposure to heat causes your animal’s core temperature to rise too high. Heat stroke in dogs and cats is usually considered to be a temperature over 40.5 degrees. At this temperature, your pet’s at risk of death or serious damage to their organs as well as seizures and blood clots.

Symptoms of heat stroke in dogs and cats

What does a pet suffering from heat stroke look like? Animals are often quite good at hiding discomfort, and because pets can’t sweat when they’re hot, pet parents don’t always notice the signs.

Usually though, they’ll show signs of distress. These are generally the same for both dogs and cats, but may be more obvious in dogs.

Symptoms can include:

• Excessive panting
• Salivating
• Rapid heartrate
• Bright red gums or tongue
• Dizziness, disorientation, or unsteadiness
• Muscle tremors
• Obvious discomfort
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Seizures

Keeping your pets safe

Heat stroke can happen much faster than you might think because pets can’t sweat. One of the main culprits is leaving pets inside hot cars. Even on a cool day, a closed car can get hot very quickly. Unfortunately, the danger is twofold because there’s normally nobody around to spot the signs before they become serious.

So, one of the very first things you can do is vow to stop leaving your pets unattended in cars!

Secondly, it’s important to ensure your dogs and cats have adequate means to cool themselves when they’re at home or out and about. They rely mainly on external factors – and some panting – to cool themselves down, so need a bit of extra care. Especially when the days get hotter.

So, read our top tips for pet safety in summer and about the pet cooling mat. And while you’re at it, why not check our tips for pet safety at the beach and our guide for dog pool safety.

Steps you can take to keep your pets safe

There are many ways to keep your pet safe in summer but here are our top five:

1. Provide clean and cool drinking water at all times.
2. Ensure your pet has access to a cool and shaded area.
3. Don’t walk them, play with them, or spend time in the direct sun during the hottest times of the day.
4. Consider a pet cooling mat.
5. Don’t let them exert themselves in hot weather.

Side note: For first-time pet owners and for those who want to prepare for their fur kid before bringing them home, check out the articles below:

• First Time Pet Owner: Preparing Mentally
• Your How-To Guide for Comparing Pet Insurance Plans
• Should I Get a Pet if I Work Full Time: Yay or Nay?

Heat stroke and pet health

Some purebred cats and dogs are more prone to heat stroke than others. Pugs and Pekingese, for example, are more likely to develop it on a hot day. This is largely because they have short noses, so they aren’t able to cool themselves as efficiently. The same goes for flat-nosed cat breeds such as Persians.

On top of that, pet obesity can contribute to heat stroke in both dogs and cats. So it’s important to keep your pets trim and in good shape through maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regime. Your vet can help you with this if you’re struggling to keep your dog or cat at a healthy weight.

How to treat heat stroke in dogs and cats

If you think your cat or dog has heat stroke, you should get to the vet immediately. Phone them to let them know you’re on your way so they can help as soon as you arrive.

While making your way there, do your best to cool your pet’s body. Do this by:

• Placing cool, wet towels under their armpits and stomach.
• Moving them to a cool area in your air conditioned vehicle.
• Using cool water to wet the paws and inside of the ears.
• Offering them your pet cool water to drink.

In severe cases, your pet will need emergency treatment. This might involve administering IV fluids, monitoring them during a hospital stay and/or treating any damage caused by the heat stroke.

In cases like these, a pet insurance plan can help to cover costs, which quickly mount up. That way, you can focus on getting your pet better, not on worrying about what the bill will be.