On a summer’s day, a hot dog is only a good idea if it’s your lunch and not your four-legged friend. You’d be surprised how quickly a dog or cat can overheat after a few good romps around the yard in the sun. Even a short hour-long hike in 90 degree weather can be incredibly harmful. Being able to monitor your pet’s temperature during exercise or playtime, especially during the hotter months, will allow you to know when it’s time to cool them down and potentially save their lives!
The prognosis for pets with heat stroke gets significantly worse the longer a pet parent waits to take them to the vet. Waiting longer than 90 minutes can have incredibly harmful effects! Unlike you and me, who can sweat, pets will breathe through an open mouth with little ability to get rid of excess heat. Overheating is caused by a pet’s inability to dissipate heat that has accumulated in their bodies after exposure to hot environments or exercise. It can lead to blood pooling in internal organs, kidney injury, and acute respiratory distress. Some breeds are even more predisposed to heat stroke, such as brachycephalics, labs, and military dogs. Surprisingly, the dachshund sausage dog gets off scot free…
But how can you know if your pet is overheating? Take their temperature!