Critical Dog Heat Stroke Symptoms & Best Cooling Products to Keep Your dog Safe
When the nice warm summer temperature skyrockets and heatwaves arrive, we aren’t the only ones feeling the heat. Something that all dog owners should know is that dogs can’t sweat like humans. They rely on releasing small amount of the heat through paw pads and panting.
And since our dog’s natural cooling system isn’t as effective then ours, unfortunately dogs can overheat in a matter of minutes if overlooked the symptoms of a heatstroke.
So let’s see what are the warning signs of a heatstroke, but also what are some of the things you can do to prevent a heatstroke and cool down your dog.
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Dog heat stroke symptoms
The best thing you can do is keeping an eye on your dog. Because the earlier you can catch on that your dog is getting hotter and hotter, the better.
So recognizing that your dog is exhausted from the heat, can literally save your dog’s life.
These are the symptoms that might hint that your dog is too warm:
Heavy panting: now, panting is something dogs do to cool themselves naturally. BUT if it’s starting to sound harsher or frantic, then it is a clear sign that your dog is struggling with the heat.
The gums: healthy and happy dog’s gums are pink. So if the weather is pretty hot and you’re not super sure if your dog’s panting is regular or too much, then check the gums. Dark red, purple or dangerously pale gums… that means trouble. Act fast.
Changes in saliva: Every dog’s natural saliva is a bit different. Some dogs naturally drool more, some less. But if your dog’s body is dehydrated because of the heat, the saliva changes its consistency and gets more sticky and thicker.
Lethargy and/or confusion: when your dog suddenly refuses to keep walking and shows signs of weakness, do not make your dog keep walking. Take a break and guide your dog in shade (carry your dog if needed). Make their chest and stomach area wet and monitor your dog.
Diarrhea and/or vomiting: this sign clearly shows that the heat has also started to affect your dog’s internal organs. Same as before, take your dog on a cool floor, make their stomach or chest area wet with cool (not freezing cold!) water and monitor your dog closely.
Emergency: if your dog collapses, loses consciousness, has a sudden seizure etc, immediately move your dog to a cooler area and call the emergency vet right away!
How to cool your dog down right now
As mentioned before, the faster you catch on that your dog is starting to get hotter and hotter, you don’t need to wait until you can buy another product to make your dog feel cooler.
These are some things you can do right now to keep your dog cool during hot summer days:
Walk schedule: since our mornings start off with a walk, then let’s start with that. If you know there is a heatwave in your city or the temperature is hotter, change your walks. Wake up a bit earlier and go for a longer walk in the morning, when the temperature is still cooler or more bearable.
During lunch, do just a quick pee break around the house and then the last longer walk again when the sun is low. It might sound uncomfortable your you, but I believe that every dog owner who loves their dog, can do this small thing.
Away from the direct sun: when the temperature starts rising, bring your dog indoors, where it is cooler. When you have air conditioner, turn it on to cool down the room even more if needed. Lying in the direct sun can slowly start making your dog hotter and suddenly you might notice that your dog feels off…
Cool not cold water: As with people, when you get a heatstroke, the best thing you can do is drink cool or even room temp water, definitely not icy water.
Same is with dogs. Use room temp or cool water to make their fur wet from their chest area or on their stomach.
!Why to avoid ice water! Freezing cold water actually causes the blood vessels to constrict. And that actually traps the heat inside your dog’s core, not cooling as you might think. So cool water on your dog’s belly, groin area or “armpits” is the best.
Best cooling products for dogs
If you’ve already done the things around your house to keep your dog cooler. But you just want to get a few extra things, then here a some cooling products for dogs that will help to prevent your dog getting a heatstroke.
Evaporating cooling vest/harness: This one is actually best to use during your walks. Even if there isn’t a heatwave, but just quite warm/hot summer day, this product will make your dog feel A LOT better during daily walks. Recommend it!
Cooling mat: now, there are tons of different cooling mats out there. And you get whatever is the best choice for you. BUT this gel cooling mat is actually super good. It needs no freezing, not messing with water etc. It is pressure activated, so it gets cool when your dog lays on it. It will recharge automatically with about 15-20 min of non-use. So when you don’t have an air conditioning or your dog likes to lay outside even when the sun is hot. Take the mat outside, so your dog can lay on a cooling area, while still enjoying the summer day.
Elevated mesh cots: this is actually something we use during dog training sessions. But this is also something useful during a warmer day when your dog wants to stay outside. Since the “bed” area is mesh, the air can flow between your dog and the bed, helping to keep things a bit more cool for your dog.
Of course there a hundreds of different products out there. You might buy them, but you might not. The decision is yours. But we don’t actually recommend buying every product you’ll find. Even when you’ll just get the cooling, pressure activated cooling mat, that will be more than enough. 🙂 No need to go crazy here.
Quick checklist
Now we all know that repetition is the mother of learning. So I’ll leave a quick safety list to keep in mind during the summer time, so that all of our dogs can also enjoy the summer to its fullest.
MONITOR: watch out for heavy/ frantic panting and red or pale gums.
ACT: use room temp or cool water (NOT COLD), make belly, groin, armpit area wet, turn on air con if possible.
PROTECT/PREVENT: upgrade some gear. Get a pressure activated cooling mat, cooling vest/harness for those summertime walks or elevated mesh cots.
You can copy this short list, print it out and even put it on your fridge. That way it’s always there and you can enjoy the summer with your dog without having to worry too much, but notice the right signs at the right time. 😌 🐶
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