How To Treat A Dog With Heatstroke

Introduction

When the temperature rises, it’s more important than ever to keep our pets safe and healthy. After all, if you’re exhausted after a jog on a sunny day, your dog could be too. However, dogs can’t tell us when they’re too hot or warn us that they’re about to get heatstroke. So today we’ll take a look at what symptoms to look for in an overheated dog and how best to treat them. (Note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only; if your pet exhibits signs of heatstroke, please consult a veterinarian immediately.)

Remove the dog from the hot place and move to shade or air conditioning.

The first thing you should do if your dog is showing signs of heatstroke is to remove him from the hot place and move to somewhere with shade or air conditioning. If moving isn’t an option, using a fan may help. Air conditioning is optimal, but if it’s not available, a small battery-powered fan can work as well.

Let the dog’s tongue hang out and tilt the head so the mouth and throat can drain.

Let the dog’s tongue hang out and tilt the head so the mouth and throat can drain. Letting your dog’s tongue fall out of his mouth will allow him to breathe easier, as well as make it easier for him to drink water. Tilt his head back slightly so that he’s looking at you. This position allows gravity to help drain fluids from the mouth and throat, which can help prevent further swelling in these areas.

Keep him hydrated. If you have access to clean, fresh water at all times during this process (or if your dog is drinking on his own), give him plenty of it in small amounts every 20 minutes or so—enough that he’ll lap at least a few ounces within each sip-break period—and continue until he starts urinating again (which should happen within an hour or two after treatment).

Place cool, wet towels on your pet’s body (especially on its neck, back, and belly).

Do not use ice or ice water.
Do not use alcohol or chemicals.
Do not use dry towels.
Do not use hot water, like a heating pad, hair dryer, or fan on high to cool your dog directly and rapidly with heat in the body.

Offer the dog water to drink.

Ice-cold water can cause stomach irritation and may worsen dehydration.
Do not give your pet ice or ice water, or any other cold foods or drink, unless you’re sure it’s okay for them to have it.
If your dog is vomiting or unconscious, avoid giving them anything until they’re alert and able to swallow on their own (if possible).

Take your pet’s temperature.

There are several ways to take the dog’s temperature, but you should use a rectal thermometer. This will be most accurate and quickest.

If you don’t have a veterinary-grade pet thermometer, you can purchase one online or at your local pet store. Digital thermometers are the most accurate—they’re easy to use, and they give you an immediate readout of the temperature instead of having to wait for an analog gauge to move. While there are many different kinds of digital thermometers on the market today (some that even send your readings directly to your smartphone), we recommend picking up a basic digital model from Amazon if this is all new territory for you. It shouldn’t cost more than $20-$30 USD, which is far less expensive than many other types of devices used for taking temperatures from pets’ ears or armpits (which aren’t recommended).

Apply rubbing alcohol to your pet’s footpads to cool down their feet.

Apply rubbing alcohol to your pet’s footpads to cool down their feet. Rubbing alcohol can be used in a number of ways, but its ability to cool down paws is one of the most useful. If you’re able to get it onto your dog’s paw pads, it will evaporate quickly and provide much-needed relief from the heat. Rubbing alcohol also has other uses in addition to cooling off your pet; it can clean wounds on dogs (and humans), sanitize things like earpads and nail clippers, and even disinfect wounds that might have bacteria growing on them!

Rubbing alcohol is readily available at any drugstore, so if you don’t already have some at home then go out and buy some today! It only costs a few dollars for an entire bottle—and that’s just for large bottles like this one here—so keep this product on hand for when emergencies happen again!

Take your dog to a vet ASAP!

If your dog is showing signs of heatstroke, you need to get it to a vet immediately. If you don’t have a veterinarian in mind, try calling around and asking for recommendations from your friends. If that doesn’t work, an animal hospital will be able to help (they are often staffed by veterinarians).

If it is too late for any of these options and the dog is showing signs of serious heatstroke—for example, if its body temperature rises above 104° F or its heartbeat goes above 200 beats per minute—you can try cooling down its body yourself. This can be done by placing ice packs on certain parts of the dog’s body (such as their paws) while wrapping the rest up in cold wet towels or rags soaked in cool water.

A dog can die if it has heatstroke for too long. Take it to a veterinarian immediately if you think it’s having heatstroke

Heatstroke can be life-threatening, so if you think your dog is suffering from it, take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you can’t get your dog to a vet right away, follow these steps:

Remove the dog’s collar and any other items that could get caught on anything else during treatment
Place the dog in a cool room with air conditioning or fans blowing on them
Give him lots of water immediately to help bring down his body temperature

Conclusion

If you suspect your dog is suffering from heatstroke, don’t waste time. Take it to a veterinarian immediately. Always keep your dog cool and out of the sun during hot weather. On walks, do them in the morning or evening when it’s cooler out, and carry a spray bottle of water so you can mist them if they start getting overheated. Heat stroke can easily be fatal, so act quickly to prevent serious harm or death from happening!