Homevet

Last week it was raining all the time, but finally we can have a few sunny days now, although it seems a bit too hot?! Homevet would like to remind every pet owner, please stay alert to prevent your pet(s) suffering from heat stroke! Heat stroke in dogs is very serious.

There are unfortunately, lots of pets which pass away from heat stroke each summer, actually, more than you may have thought…

Heat stroke is not something which happens without any signs or warnings; in other words, it is avoidable for pets to suffer from it.  Lots of cases were due to the owner taking their pets out for hiking or some other outdoor activities during hot weather; or due to pets staying too long in the pet carrier under the heat, where the bag is too hot and so the poor pet overheats.

In addition, owners needs to be aware of some genetic / hereditary problems for their pets, for example in Pugs, Pekingese, Shih Tzu’s, English Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs, these breeds with the short faces, they find it more difficult to release heat from their body.

Breeds with long or thick hair, like Pomeranians, Golden Retrievers and Huskys, or pets who are a bit chubby, also need to stay alert too. Don’t stay too long under the sun! Under the bright sun, as dogs are so close to the floor, the heat released from the road and heat from the sun above, can make them feel very uncomfortable. Just try to put yourself in their shoes…

For pets who have to stay in the pet carrier, they cannot release heat easily as well. The space in a carrier wouldn’t be big enough for air to have good circulation, so heat is still trapped inside with the pet. Please shorten the time for pets staying in the carrier, in hot Summer weather. As for pets with long or thick hair, you can consider to trim their hair shorter.

Of course the best thing for pets during hot days is to stay in a cool area. But if you really need to go out, please pay attention to your pets whether they have the following signs which might indicate they may be suffering from heat stroke! Signs include excessively panting, salivating, and red eyes. If the condition gets worse, they could become weak, have faeces incontinence, organ failure, shock and even death.

Please understand the body structures between humans and pets are different. Dogs with hair walking under the intense sun, is like us wearing a thick sweater under the sun. Pets are unable to sweat all over their body like people. They rely completely upon panting (to expel hot air and inhale cool air) to cool themselves down. Some sweating occurs through their foot pads and nose, but this is not enough to effectively cool them down. These differences between pets and people, make them especially easy to get heatstroke during hot, humid Hong Kong Summer weather.

We hope the information above can help everyone to avoid tragic accidents in the heat. Please remember, once your pet suffers from heat stroke, consequences are often irreversible.