<p>Sunstroke and heatstroke pose a danger to
animals and people alike. Heatstroke is dangerous to anyone's health, therefore
there are some basic things that every pet owner should know – what the signs
of heatstroke are, and what to do if you suspect that a dog, a cat or any other
pet is suffering from it.</p><h2>What is heatstroke and a sunstroke?</h2><p>Heatstroke is a state of hyperthermia,
i.e., when the body temperature has increased beyond the norm, which results in
the tissue obtaining a thermal injury. Heatstroke occurs when the amount of
heat absorbed by the body exceeds the body’s ability to lose heat. Heatstroke
is a very serious condition: it can cause multiple organ failure and the animal
can die quickly, if left untreated. All animals are susceptible to heatstroke,
therefore you should make sure that you are doing everything to prevent this
from happening. Heatstroke and sunstroke are mostly similar; the main
difference is that overheating of an animal in the case of sunstroke is caused
by being directly in the sun.</p><h2>What signs of heatstroke do animals exhibit?</h2><p>The signs of heatstroke and sunstroke may
vary between individuals and species, but for the most part they are:</p><p></p><ul><li>Rapid breathing
(unceasing panting) that increases as heatstroke progresses</li><li>Drooling</li><li>Distress, unrest</li><li>Very red or pale
gums</li><li>Bright red
tongue</li><li>Increased
heartbeat</li><li>Uneven, troubled
breathing</li><li>Vomiting,
diarrhoea (possibly containing blood)</li><li>Signs of
psychological confusion, delirium</li><li>Dizziness</li><li>Lethargy,
weakness</li><li>Muscle tremors</li><li>Cramps</li><li>Fainting</li><li>Decreased or
non-existent amount of urine</li><li>Coma</li></ul><p></p><h2>What are the main factors that contribute to the
development of heatstroke?</h2><p>An animal can get sunstroke by overheating
in the sun, which is not a rare occurrence, if the animal has no shade to hide
from the direct sunlight. Imagine yourself in a fur coat and in the sun. The
animal’s fur, especially when darker, heats up quickly. Aside from direct
sunlight there are also other factors that contribute to the development of
heatstroke:</p><p></p><ul><li>Warm or hot and
humid environment</li><li>Insufficient
ventilation, air flow</li><li>Insufficient
amount of drinking water</li><li>Excessive
physical load</li></ul><p></p><h2>Factors that aggravate heatstroke and sunstroke</h2><p>Many factors may add to the possible
development of heatstroke:</p><p></p><ul><li>The animal is
obese</li><li>Breeds with
short necks, flat faces and noses, for example, a pug, English bulldog, French
bulldog, Pekingese, as well as Persian and Himalayan cats</li><li>The pet has a
thick and long coat </li><li>The pet is very young
or very old</li><li>Excessive
physical load</li><li>The animal
suffers from respiratory tract illnesses, cardiovascular sickness or
neurological disorders.</li><li>Dehydration</li></ul><p></p><h2>How do you avoid your pets developing heatstroke?</h2><p>It is possible to avoid heatstroke by
ensuring that the pet is kept in adequate environmental conditions and by being
aware of the symptoms in order to act quickly, if necessary.</p><p>Provide a cool, shaded spot for your pet
with constant good ventilation – adequate ventilation and air flow is crucial
because many animals cool down via evaporation. </p><p>Make sure that in the case of heat the
animal has plenty of clean drinking water.</p><p>Take your pet indoors on hot and humid
days, if the indoor environment is cooler for the animal; for example, if there
is air conditioning in the room, a ventilator, open windows and shade.</p><p>On hot days try to walk your dog very early
in the morning or late in the evening when it is cooler; it is best to avoid
walks during the hottest times of the day. </p><p>Avoid taking walks on hot sand, concrete,
asphalt or any other hard surfaces that reflect heat and that have no access to
shade.</p><p>Don't leave your dog in the car, even if
the windows are down, because dogs may still overheat and die. The high
temperature in combination with insufficient ventilation or air flow in the car
mean that the dog's body can't adequately thermoregulate itself, thus leaving
the dog unprotected against overheating. Animals suffer terribly in these
conditions!</p><p>Small animals, such as rabbits, guinea
pigs, polecats, birds, rats and mice are extremely susceptible to heatstroke.
These animals are often kept in cages and crates and can't move away to a
cooler location, therefore, during hot weather they must be moved to a cool,
shaded and well-aired place. They need constant access to clean, fresh drinking
water. On particularly hot days they need to be transported to cool premises.</p><h2>What do you do, if you suspect that a pet has sustained
heatstroke?</h2><p>By providing emergency first aid to help
normalise the pet's body temperature, you can save its life.</p><p></p><ul><li>It is necessary
to wet the animal's whole body with cool water in the shower, starting from
head to tail. The water can't be cold! During this procedure lift up the dog's
head. </li><li>If you can't
provide a cool shower for your pet, you can use a garden hose or other
accessible water sources.</li><li>Putting a cold
compress on the pet's head will help decrease the body temperature.</li><li>To avoid a state
of shock, rub the dog's feet energetically.</li><li>It is mandatory
that the animal drinks enough water. </li><li>Take your pet to
the nearest vet immediately. </li></ul><p></p><h2>How do veterinarians help pets with heatstroke?</h2><p><a target="_blank"  href="http://www.vetdaugavpils.lv/infopage/view/sec_id/74?utm_source=1188&amp;utm_medium=1188&amp;utm_campaign=1188&amp;utm_id=1188&amp;utm_term=Latgales+veterin%C4%81rais+centrs%2C+veterin%C4%81r%C4%81+kl%C4%ABnika+Daugavpil%C4%AB%2C+veterin%C4%81r%C4%81rsts&amp;utm_content=Latgales+veterin%C4%81rais+centrs%2C+veterin%C4%81r%C4%81+kl%C4%ABnika+Daugavpil%C4%AB">Veterinarians</a> are taught to assess the severity
of the heatstroke and then to provide emergency medical care as needed. They
check the pet's body temperature and vital signs, after which they begin
emergency treatment that may entail:</p><p></p><ul><li>IV drip
containing intravenous medications</li><li>Cooling
procedures, for example, cooling enemas</li><li>Supply of
additional oxygen</li><li>Medicated
treatment as needed</li><li>Blood tests to
check organ functions</li></ul><p></p><p>





















































































































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Sunstroke and heatstroke pose a danger to animals and people alike. Heatstroke is dangerous to anyone's health, therefore there are some basic things that every pet owner should know –...

First aid for domestic animals in the case of sunstroke and heatstroke

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First aid for domestic animals in the case of sunstroke and heatstroke

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