Heatstroke in a dog: symptoms and treatment. Heatstroke in a dog What to do a dog got heatstroke

Heatstroke in a dog is a critical condition that develops as a result of overheating of an animal for one reason or another: in the sun, due to heavy physical exertion, in a closed car.

At the same time, the body temperature of the dog rises above 40.5 degrees (read what is the normal body temperature for a dog) Heatstroke develops in situations when the body, using all its capabilities to give off excess heat, still “does not cope”.

The likelihood is especially high heatstroke in dogs with short muzzles (boxers, bulldogs, pugs, sharpei) and northern breeds (malamute, husky), as well as in pregnant women, the elderly, animals with overweight, with diseases of the cardiovascular system or respiratory tract... Heatstroke can also affect any dog that has to move actively in hot weather. Very often, dogs that are left in a tightly closed car come to the veterinarian.

Symptoms of heatstroke in dogs

With heatstroke, the animal's body temperature rises sharply,
mucous membranes turn red
the animal weakens
wants to sleep constantly

Since many other conditions have similar symptoms, it should be known that the dog is overheated. Also, with heatstroke, there may be convulsions, impaired consciousness. When shock develops, the mucous membranes may become pale and the temperature may drop.

It's pretty dangerous condition because too heat begins to damage the organs of the animal, especially the kidneys, lungs, nervous system, gastrointestinal tract... If the temperature rises to 43 degrees, then this damage becomes irreversible. Signs of such severe complications usually appear 3-5 days after heatstroke the dog has suffered.

First aid for a dog with heatstroke

If the owner is sure that the deterioration of the dog's health is associated with overheating, you need to do the following:

cool it immediately: move it to as cool a place as possible,
moisten wool cold water,
on the inner surface put cold compresses on the thighs and armpits

It is best to submerge the dog in water at all, such as a river. Antipyretic drugs should not be given. However, too fast and excessive cooling is dangerous for the dog's health. Her body temperature must be constantly monitored with a thermometer. The task of help is to reduce the temperature to 39 - 39.5 degrees in 30 minutes - an hour and then stop cooling.

The dog's head should be kept below body level. You can give an enema with cool water. An injection of sulfocamphocaine can be given to stimulate cardiac activity. After providing first aid, the animal must be shown to the doctor in order not to miss the development of severe complications: violations heart rate, renal failure.

Prevention of heatstroke

The dog must not be left in a closed car in the sun
in the heat it is generally better to limit physical exercise dogs - refuse a long trip (especially in the summer at sea),
shorten the walk (or postpone to a later time), do not play in the sun with a ball or stick

Feed your dog enough once a day in the late evening. If the dog is outdoors, it should be able to hide in the shade and also have access to water. You can equip her with a special sandbox with a depth of at least 30 centimeters. It needs to be watered every morning. The dog will dig a hole for itself and spend the day in the cool. You can also purchase a cooling vest or mat for your dog.

Heatstroke in four-legged pets occurs against the background of growth total temperature bodies under the influence external factors and always leads to malfunctions internal organs and systems. Thermoregulation in cats and dogs is fundamentally different from that in humans, therefore these animals are difficult to tolerate given state... It is important to identify the signs of solar or heatstroke in pets in time to provide timely assistance with minimal consequences from overheating.

Features of thermoregulation in pets

Dogs and cats do not have such a concept as "sweating" and "sweating" in the physiological sense that people imagine. That is, when it is hot, they do not release excess moisture and does not evaporate from the entire surface of the body. Despite the fact that cats have a number of sweat glands, unlike dogs, they overheat in hot weather, under certain conditions, they also quickly.

The main heat transfer in pets occurs due to the acceleration of breathing: ventilation increases upper section respiratory tract, and the evaporation of moisture increases precisely from the surface of their mucous membranes and through the mouth.

For instance, normal amount respiratory movements in cats and dogs, it is 20-40 times / min. When the temperature environment increases, the number of respiratory movements also increases. In extreme heat, it can reach up to 310-400 times / min in dogs and up to 200 times / min in cats. It should also be noted that the way of breathing changes - animals begin to breathe with an open mouth and more superficially (inhalation / exhalation is not deep), due to which the process of evaporation of moisture from the mucous membranes of the tongue and cheeks increases.

Overheating (hyperthermia) occurs if this compensatory cooling is not enough. This is especially true for long-haired animals - they have heatstroke many times faster. The lack of such cooling can be observed in extreme heat outside and high humidity, lack of liquid for drinking, and also if there are problems with the respiratory system.

Absolutely all animals are defeated by heatstroke, regardless of their breed, age or gender. There is only a group of breeds that are most susceptible to changes in the environment due to the peculiarities of the anatomy of the body.

Breeds of dogs and cats prone to heatstroke

The hardest heatstroke is reflected in dogs of brachycephalic breeds (with shortened muzzles and a special structure of the pharynx):

Moscow watchdog;
bullmastiff;
black terrier;
boxers;
Newfoundland;
St. Bernard;
giant schnauzer;
English bulldog.

Feline breeds that are hardest to tolerate overheating (also with flattened snouts):

exotic;
Persian;
angora;
extreme and so on.

Difference between sunstroke and heatstroke

Heatstroke

Heatstroke is the deterioration of the body's condition due to its overheating, when internal heat accumulates much more than is consumed during exchange heat transfer. For heatstroke, the presence of the sun is not necessary, as well as hot temperatures and high ambient humidity. Under such conditions, the whole organism suffers with many systems and organs.

Sunstroke

This pathology is considered to be a type of heatstroke. A prerequisite is the presence of direct sunlight. With such a blow, the animal's brain is primarily affected due to the strong vasodilation and strong blood flow, as well as the nervous system, therefore, outwardly, it is most often manifested by various nervous disorders. Sunstroke usually occurs without an increase in overall body temperature.

Despite the fact that sunstroke occurs several times less often in animals, it takes much longer to recover from it than after heat. Most often, these two conditions are equated simply with overheating (or hyperthermia) due to some similarities between the symptoms of heatstroke and solar heat.

Causes of overheating in cats and dogs are

elevated ambient temperature in places where long time there are animals;
overestimated air humidity at the same time high temperature and lack of air flow (ventilation);
the inability to quench thirst when the animal wants to;
overheating of the body due to disturbances in the center of thermoregulation of the brain;
prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Heat / sunstroke in cats

The most affected are small kittens, old cats, pregnant, overweight, and chronic diseases respiratory tract. Those. any conditions that interfere with normal heat transfer provoke the development of heat / sunstroke. V general outline The signs of heat and sunstroke in cats are very similar.

Heatstroke signs:

the animal tries to find a cool place and usually lies down with outstretched paws on its side;
general depression, weakness, the cat almost does not respond to the nickname;
the body is noticeably hotter (you can feel it with your hand), when measuring the temperature, indicators from 40 ° C and above are noted;
breathing is frequent, but shallow, possibly with a protruding tongue; then becomes heavy;
heart rate increases;
mucous mouths that are too red or pale (not pink);
the tongue is deep red;
profuse salivation;
the cat does not react in any way to food, drinks poorly, or can only swallow the poured water;
perhaps a lack of coordination, a wobbly gait, or even loss of consciousness;
possible vomiting out of nowhere with white foam and diarrhea;
muscle twitching, similar to a person beating in a fever;
severe heat shock - a sharp drop in temperature and unexpected pallor of the mucous membranes, loss of consciousness (if the temperature could not be brought down, and it continued to rise above 42 ° C).

Signs of sunstroke:

the suddenness of the manifestation of weakness and uncoordinated movements;
body temperature often remains normal, but the head may be hot;
the mucous membranes of the head (conjunctiva, inner surface of the cheeks, gums) are sharply reddened;
dilated pupils that do not respond to light stimuli;
after weakness, excitement, increased activity, aggressive seizures appear sharply;
convulsions;
there may be nosebleeds;
often the cat loses consciousness.

Heat / sunstroke in dogs

Both conditions are similar in manifestations and internal changes... Heatstroke is quite common in dogs due to frequent physical exertion.

Heatstroke symptoms:

weakness and apathy occurs;
the pet lies and is heavy, but breathes often, often with an open mouth;
heart rate increases;
body temperature rises critically (above 40 ° C);
mucous membranes become as if dry;
the color of the mucous membranes gradually changes from bright red to pale
vomiting with foamy contents or just saliva;
febrile muscle contractions.

With sunstroke, the following is observed:

a sharp deterioration in the condition, unsteadiness of gait, the dog may fall, lie down, hardly move;

"Glass" eyes (dry cornea, dilated pupil, not responsive to light);
heart rate increases, but becomes barely perceptible;
possible nervous convulsions, because mainly the brain suffers;
body temperature usually does not change or rises only slightly;
signs of overheating of the brain appear (riot, desire to run somewhere, after which the dog may lose consciousness);
blood or a frothy liquid may come from the nose (the animal starts to “blow bubbles”, as it were);
after a sunstroke, the pet recovers longer (weakness can persist up to several days).

Diagnostics

At detailed description the condition of a cat or dog and the conditions under which this condition occurred is not difficult for a veterinarian to diagnose. The more information is obtained in the course of interviewing the owner of the injured animal, the more correct the assistance will be.

First aid for any kind of overheating

Prolonged exposure to overheating can lead to renal and cardiovascular failure, cerebral edema, and coma. After providing first aid, a visit to the veterinarian is still relevant.

The sooner first aid is provided to an overheated dog or cat, the more chances to save him!

What an animal owner should do

Dog

First of all, you need to try to lower the body temperature - the dog is carefully transported to any cool place. In a heatstroke, the head must be below body level in order for the brain to receive enough blood.
You can cool the animal with cool water. It is enough to moisten the stomach, armpits, iron the wool with a wet hand, put a wet towel on your head. You do not need to cover the whole body, otherwise heat transfer will slow down.
Pour in a small amount of water through the toothless edge or spray from a spray bottle. Large dogs it is forbidden to pour in a lot of water, because this can provoke volvulus. At this stage, the body temperature should drop slightly. The dog can be transported to the clinic.
If it is impossible to deliver the dog to the veterinary hospital, or the temperature has not dropped from the above manipulations, you should proceed with cooling enemas. It is enough to take a rubber bulb and periodically pour ordinary clean cool water into the rectum. This procedure usually quickly knocks down the temperature, so it is important not to overdo it (you should periodically measure your body temperature rectally). As soon as it is noticed that the temperature has begun to fall, enemas can be stopped.
You can spur the work of the heart intramuscular injection sulfocamphocaine (based on: a dog up to 40 kg - 1 ml, more than 40 kg - 2 ml). If there is no medicine, you can try pouring a few tablespoons of strong cold coffee into the mouth (the main thing is not to overdo it).
After all the household manipulations, you still need to find a way to show the dog to the veterinarian, because the effects of heat or sunstroke can occur within 3-5 days.

Cat

Move the animal to any cool place and lay it on a cold floor (tiles, cement, etc.). With heatstroke, the level of the head must be lower than the level of the body so as not to disrupt the blood flow in the brain.
Start cooling the pet with cool water: moisten the coat, paw pads and armpits, you can moisten the muzzle.
Keep the cat away from drafts and air conditioners if the coat is abundantly wetted so as not to provoke a cold against the background of sudden changes in body temperature.
Pour a little cool water into the mouth through the toothless edge or spray from a small spray bottle.
If the cat has lost consciousness, you need to take it by hind legs and hold it upside down a little. You can slightly unwind, holding all the same by the hind legs, until the moment when the animal begins to show independent locomotor activity(will not begin to kick at least weakly).
To maintain heart function, you can pour in a couple of teaspoons of cold coffee or inject sulfocamphocaine at a dose of 0.1 ml / kg of body weight.
After the temperature drops, the animal can be taken to the veterinary hospital. If the cat has lost consciousness, then a visit to the veterinarian is strictly required!
Throughout all the manipulations to reduce body temperature, it must be monitored every 3-5 minutes in order to notice positive dynamics in time, stop and not bring to hypothermia (temperature drop below normal).

What not to do:

It is strictly forbidden to give a dog or cat any of the known antipyretics (antipyretics: ibuprofen, paracetamol, etc.) at the time of overheating!
do not drink or wet with ice water, because this will provoke vasospasm, and internal temperature may grow even more;
can not be dipped abruptly in cold water(also due to vasospasm);
leave the animal itself in a state of overheating.

How can a veterinarian help?

First aid from a veterinarian will depend on how long the animal has been exposed to heatstroke. When contacting a veterinarian for help, it is important to describe in as much detail as possible the condition of the pet, the sequence of appearance or disappearance various symptoms, name the most approximate time sharp deterioration the health of the animal and under what conditions heatstroke was received.

Algorithm curative care with solar / thermal overheating:

restoration of body temperature and balance of body fluids;
maintaining the work of the cardiovascular and renal (excretory) systems;
restoration of the work of internal organs that have suffered from high body temperature;
normalization of the functions of the nervous system.

This is achieved by the following procedures and treatments

Compensation for liquid deficiencies intravenous infusion or by droppers: 0.45% saline solution + 2.5% dextrose (glucose) at a dose of 50-80 ml / kg in the first hour after deterioration or immediately as soon as the animal is delivered to the hospital.
At the first signs of renal failure, intravenous dopamine (2-4 μg / kg of body weight by slow administration) is used to increase blood flow through the kidneys; to normalize urination and withdrawal of the injected fluid - furosemide (2 mg / kg every 6-8 hours). A catheter can be inserted if the bladder sphincter spasm occurs.
To maintain cardiac activity: intramuscularly sulfocamfocaine (for a dog 1-2 ml / animal, for a cat 0.1 ml / kg of body weight), intramuscularly or subcutaneously cordiamine (for dogs and cats, 0.1-0.12 ml / kg).
At shock conditions and sunstroke, upon manifestation nervous disorders, loss of consciousness: intravenous dexamethasone (1-2 mg / kg) or prednisolone (10-20 mg / kg).
In case of heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias): intravenous lidocaine (2 mg / kg) or drip (25-75 mcg / kg / min).
For diarrhea with blood: antibiotic therapy with drugs prescribed depending on the state of the kidneys and liver.
If seizures occur: intravenous phenobarbital (2 mg / kg) or diazepam (0.5 mg / kg).
Obvious fear of a dog or cat, desire to run somewhere, fear and tension: intravenous oxymorphine (0.03-0.1 mg / kg).
As a strengthening agent that lowers the temperature and inhibits the destructive effect of heatstroke, it is often prescribed homeopathic medicine Belladonna-Homaccord: intravenous, intramuscular or subcutaneous (in last resort, drip on the tongue until the condition normalizes) in a dose of 1-2 ml for cats and small dogs, 2-4 ml for medium and large individuals.

Overheating prevention

In the prevention of heatstroke in cats and dogs, there are the usual rules of common sense:

It is forbidden to leave animals in closed cars without air access in the summer.
During the heat better for cats and dogs stay indoors. If the animals are outdoors, make sure that there are shady areas in the yard with constant air circulation.
Provide pets with constant access to drinking water during the hot season.
At high ambient temperatures, try not to burden the dogs physically, to limit the number of active games with the cat.
You can cool a healthy (!) Dog by immersion in water - natural reservoirs, water containers in the yard, a shower in the apartment. Cats can be lightly sprayed with water (being careful not to intimidate) or covered with a wet handkerchief when they are resting.
When taking your dogs to the beach, you should definitely find a place in the shade.
Before intended transportation over long distances in hot weather, it is recommended to purchase special cooling mats or vests for animals in veterinary pharmacies or pet stores.
In your yard, you can organize in the shade a small sandpit with sand regularly watered with water - this is a favorite place for dogs and cats to cool down on their own.
Long-haired breeds of dogs and cats can be clipped. Grooming is best done in the morning or evening, when the animal is not very hot. Due to the sharp drop in body temperature, the condition may worsen. sudden changes in body temperature are just as harmful as exposure to high or low alone.

Who doesn't love summer? If there are such people, there are probably not many of them. Our four-legged friends do not stand aside and share these preferences. In summer, unlike winter, walks on fresh air become longer and more active. But with the onset of warm days, the risk of overheating in animals and heatstroke increases. In this article we will look at what happens, its causes, symptoms and treatment methods for this phenomenon.

Heatstroke in a dog: causes

Speaking about the reasons, the main factor should be highlighted. This is, first of all, an increase in body temperature to those values at which its normal functioning is impossible. Despite the fact that we mentioned at the beginning of the article about the risks of getting heatstroke during the warmer months, this is not always the case. Overheating can be obtained both in a stuffy room and simply with prolonged physical exertion.... Most main factor, provoking heatstroke in a dog is overheat.

Let's look at how the activity of an animal's body changes depending on an increase in body temperature:

1 temperature 38.0-39.0 C °- counts normal state or in the upper limits of the norm. With these indicators, the dog can breathe through the mouth, taking a lying position to cool abdominal cavity; 2 temperature 39.1-39.6 C °- there is an increase in heart rate and vasodilation; 3 temperature 39.6-40.0 C °- changes that are more significant in their significance begin. Blood clotting is impaired. Destruction of nerves. Most of intestinal microflora is rapidly dying. Absolutely all organs work with heavy load; 4 temperature 40.1-42.0 С °- very major changes in the work of the body, expressed in its damage and damage to the central nervous system. Rapid toxicity associated with bad job kidney; 5 temperature 43.0 C ° – upper bound allowing the dog to live. The heart and brain swell, resulting in death.

Attention! As soon as the dog's temperature begins to rise rapidly, help should be provided immediately. If this is not done, the pet can die within a few hours!

Heatstroke in a dog and its symptoms

Know which symptoms observed in dogs when overheated, it is simply necessary for the owner. Unfortunately, the heatstroke itself in a dog very often occurs through the fault of the owners, who do not know or do not pay attention to the signs of this ailment.

signs of heatstroke in a dog

heavy breathing with an open mouth;
strong salivation;
all mucous membranes take on a reddish tint;
the pet itself is hot due to the rise in temperature;
the dog starts to worry;
warm and dry nose;
diarrhea;
vomiting;
loss of consciousness is possible;
convulsions;
uncontrolled bowel movements.

These are the most striking symptoms, having noticed which you must act immediately.

How is heatstroke in a dog treated? First aid

If you, after matching the causes and symptoms, observe in your dog initial stages of overheating, need to take action immediately... Heatstroke is one of the few cases where a quick response from the owner is required, since the veterinarian may simply not have time to arrive. And this, as we have already said, can be fatal.

the first medical care dogs overheating

first move the animal to a cool room;
make sure the floors in this room are cold;
wipe the woolen cover with a damp cloth soaked in cool water;
put the pet in a bowl with clean water that the dog would drink more;
under the folds, between the paws and the body, you can put cold compresses;
it is advisable to treat open areas on the body with ammonia;
if there is a fan, point it at the dog, if not, open the windows.

These are the steps you can take yourself. Unfortunately in more severe cases, when the process of overheating has gone far, treatment and assistance is carried out using certain drugs, not knowing the dosage of which can harm the pet. Always only seek help from specialized centers rendering veterinary care... High qualification of specialists is a guarantee good health your animal and your peace of mind for him!

Heatstroke in a dog: prevention

To prevent dire consequences in case of heatstroke, it is desirable to simply prevent its occurrence. They will help you with this. preventive actions... So here are some recommendations to help prevent heatstroke in your dog.

1 Try to avoid situations where the dog is forced to remain alone in a closed car, no matter in the scorching sun or in the shade. The machine is metal structure which heats up very quickly. 2 If you took your pet with you on vacation by car, monitor the condition of your pet even if the air conditioner is on or the windows are open. 3 When keeping, you also need to monitor the air temperature in the apartment. If it is very hot, the pet should have cool places where it can hide from the heat. 4 the presence of water in the bowl must be absolutely always. It is also advised to periodically refresh the water, even if the pet has not touched it. 5 The more excess weight in a dog, the higher the risk of heatstroke. Therefore, physical activity should be at the proper level. 6 Choose your walking time wisely. Avoid too hot a time of day. The most optimal periods are morning or evening! 7 If breed characteristics suggest the presence of long hair pet, take care of her. At the onset of the warm season, shear the animals in advance, this will help to transfer the heat many times easier. Our center offers groomer services.

Heatstroke in a dog - conclusion

Heatstroke in a dog is a serious condition in which relief measures need to be carried out immediately... We told you about the symptoms that appear when overheating, so that the owners can quickly provide first aid to the animal. And also described possible reasons so that you can eliminate them and not push them to extremes. In our veterinary center"I-VET" there is a service " free consultation doctor before departure ”. You can call and get all the information you are interested in by phone. When calling the emergency veterinary team, specialists will bring with them a diploma, all documents and equipment and will provide help needed... We are always glad to see you in our Y-VET center. Take care of your pets!

anesthesiologist-resuscitator

What it is?

Thermalhit- This is a critical condition that develops if an animal overheats for one reason or another (in the sun, in a closed car, due to heavy physical exertion), and its body temperature rises above 40.5 ° C.

All warm-blooded animals, including dogs, cats, and humans, are able to deal with excess heat input. The animals are looking for a cool place, trying to lie on the cold floor on their stomachs, spreading their hind legs like a frog. A person who is hot sweats and thus cools.

Dogs and cats have very few sweat glands (they are mainly located on the pads of the paws), therefore, in order to increase the release of heat, the animal has to breathe frequently - a lot of heat is lost with the exhaled air. In addition, the heart rate increases and the vessels of the skin and mucous membranes dilate to increase the transfer of heat from the surface of the body.

However, if there is no opportunity to go to a cool place, if for some reason breathing or blood circulation is impaired, if it is so hot that the body, using all its capabilities, "cannot cope" with the return of excess heat, heatstroke develops. Therefore, the likelihood of heatstroke is high in dogs with short, "flattened" muzzles (bulldogs, boxers, pugs), in the elderly, pregnant, in overweight animals, with diseases of the upper respiratory tract or lungs, or the cardiovascular system.

Any dog or cat can suffer from heatstroke if they have to move very actively in hot and humid weather, and especially if they have a thick and warm coat.

Most of the patients who come to veterinarian with heatstroke - these are animals left in a tightly closed car. Even on a cool day in a car standing in the sun, the temperature can rise to 48 ° C within 20 minutes.

Heatstroke suspect if the animal has a very high fever, shortness of breath, high frequency heartbeats, redness of the mucous membranes, and known that it is overheated. The latter is very important. The fact is that similar symptoms can be observed with other diseases that occur with an increase in body temperature (fever), for example, with severe inflammatory processes, and the treatment in this case will be completely different.

If the animal needs to be cooled during heatstroke, and antipyretic drugs are ineffective and can be harmful, then with fever dangerously cool the animal without the use of antipyretics. With heatstroke, there may also be vomiting and diarrhea, impaired consciousness, convulsions. If shock develops, the temperature may drop and the mucous membranes may become pale.

A very high temperature has a damaging effect on all organs of the animal, primarily the kidneys, nervous system, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. Blood clotting disorders may develop.

When the temperature rises to 43 and above, damage can become irreversible. Unfortunately, the successful cooling of the affected dog to normal temperature does not guarantee recovery. Signs of severe complications may appear within 3 to 5 days after suffering heatstroke.

How to help?

If you suspect heatstroke in your pet (that is, you are sure that it is overheated!), You need to immediately start cooling and take it to a doctor immediately. To cool the animal, you need to move it to a cool place, moisten the coat with cold water, put cold compresses on the armpits and inner thighs.

It is very important to be careful and stop on time! Cooling too fast and too strong is no less dangerous than overheating. It is necessary to constantly monitor body temperature - not "by the nose", but with a thermometer. It is necessary to lower the temperature to 39.0 to 39.5 in 30 minutes - 1 hour, and stop cooling. Even if you managed to reduce the temperature to normal, you need to show the animal to the doctor, since after heatstroke, severe complications can develop.

Like most diseases in general, heatstroke is easier to prevent than to cure. Never leave your pets in a closed car in the sun. In the heat, it is better for animals, like people, to limit physical activity - to shorten a walk, refuse a long trip or play with a ball or stick in the sun. This is especially important if your friend is at risk. No win at the show, in the competition hunting dogs or sporting events not worth the health and life of the animal.

Orlova Maria Eduardovna
anesthesiologist-resuscitator