On a hot, sunny summer day in the Capital Area, people still want to get outside for some fresh ait, and so do their pets.
“With the heat right now, going out for 5 or 10 minutes to go to the bathroom, they can come in and be panting,” said Dr. Danielle Fazio, a veterinarian at the Siegen Lane Animal Clinic.
Dr. Fazio said excessive panting can be one of the first signs of heat-related illnesses in dogs and cats.
“Excessive panting… Discomfort… They can’t get comfortable. They could be comatose, just laying there not moving, red mucus membrane and of course, elevated temperature. Cats usually do not pant. So, if you see a cat panting, that’s when you know that something is definitely wrong,” explained Dr. Fazio.
If you suspect your pet is suffering from heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, Dr. Fazio said stay calm and always have a plan.
“If you’re outside and can’t get your dog inside, take like hose water. Make sure it’s cool. You don’t want it cold because you can shock the system even more. Just kind of rinse them down. You can even use distilled alcohol and put it on their pads because they do have sweat glands in their pads and that can help cool. Take their temperature, if it’s above 103, definitely, that would cause you to be more alarmed. Give them fresh water to drink, take them into the shade, in a well-ventilated area and put fans on them,” said Dr. Fazio.
Also, never leave your pet in a car during the summer months.
“Dog or cat, we mostly see heat stroke from is a dog that’s been locked in a car because cars aren’t ventilated. Even if the car is on or parked in the shade, we just don’t recommend that especially in the summer,” concluded Dr. Fazio.
Dogs more prone to heat stroke are those with longer fur and shorter snouts, and those who are obese.
If you want to learn more about heat-related illnesses, click here.