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While summertime can be fun it can also be dangerous.

Heated summer days pose a threat to your pet in the form of Hyperthermia or heat stroke. Heat stroke happens when your pet is overexposed to heated temperatures whether inside or outside and becomes dehydrated. There are many different circumstances that can cause your pet to overheat and in order to provide the best care for them it’s important to understand every aspect of the condition.

Temperature: What’s Normal?
The first thing to consider when evaluating a pet for heat stroke is their body temperature. Normal body temperatures for dogs and cats are between 98^ and 102' F. Cats tend to have higher temperatures and stress can cause a slightly higher temperature. Despite the species, both dogs and cats temperatures should remain under 103' F. Anything above that temperature is considered abnormal and the higher the temperature, the more damage can be done. It’s important to check your pets temperature or bring them into Bayside to have their temperature checked if there is any concern, especially in the summer.

Symptoms To Look For
The symptoms are like those of heat exhaustion in humans and like us, pets will display obvious signs of distress and restlessness to express something is wrong. These symptoms include but are not limited to the following:

· Drooling

· Excessive panting

· Distress

· Elevated respiratory rate

· Tremors/shakes

· Lethargy

· Refusal to eat or drink

Treatment:

The key in treatment of heat stroke is early recognition. The sooner its recognized, the easier it is to reverse. A pets temperature can rapidly climb if exposed to extreme heat, especially if they have a thicker than normal coat. As soon as it’s recognized, treatment should begin to lower the pet’s temperature to avoid the risk of brain damage. If the pets temperature reaches 109^F (or 42.7^ C), organ failure can begin which can lead to death. At home, ice-packs or cold towels can help bring down a pets temperature but they should always been seen immediately by a doctor. In the hospital, pets can receive more focalized treatment through fluid therapy and intensive care so it’s important to bring them in right away if heat stroke is suggestive.

How To Avoid Heat Stroke

The most common cause of heat-stroke in pets is being left inside a parked car. Even with windows cracked or rolled down, our vehicles can act like ovens. The pet is exposed to temperatures far beyond those we would consider as too hot. Pets are uncomfortable inside hot cars and in a very short time can overheat. The best advice for avoiding heat stroke is to leave your pet at home. If it is impractical for you to do that, keep the following things in mind to help protect your pet:

Think Ahead – Plan your trip and think about any errands that you will be running while out. Try to limit any lapse in time that your pet would be sitting in a parked car

30 Minutes Or Less – If possible, try to limit your pets car trips to 30 minutes or less in the summer months. Summer can be harsh and our cars can get even hotter. Limiting your pet’s time inside the car limits their chances of becoming too hot.

Water, Water Everywhere! – Make sure that your pet has access to fresh, cool drinking water throughout the day as well as places to find shade. If your pet is able to come inside, bring them in on hotter days to help keep them cool. Cooler temperatures and fresh drinking water help maintain your pets body temperature at a safe level.

Road-tripping? If deciding to take a long trip or relocate in the warmer months, try to do most of your driving either early in the morning or later in the afternoon so the sun will not be as hot. When driving long distances with your pet, apply the 30 minute rule to stopping for breaks. Most pets do not feel comfortable drinking water in a moving vehicle so stopping for a minute or two may help get fluids into your pet, avoiding dehydration. Aim to make the trip a short one, avoiding sit-down restaurants or shopping along the way. The bottom line is, the longer a pet sits inside a car, the likelier they are to overheat.