Health Tip of the Month

Heatstroke: a Hot Topic

As the weather cools and we find ourselves outside enjoying the wonderful Arizona climate, keep in mind that your furry family member is still in danger of heatstroke.    Just this weekend I worked at an emergency hospital and treated a senior dog for severe heatstroke.   The dog was kept in a truck for two hours and after cooling efforts by the family, the dog’s temperature was down to 105.9F.

After intense and aggressive critical care treatment, this patient recovered.   However, many overheated pets do not.  Like many folks enjoying the cooler weather we may mistakenly believe our pets are safe in our cars.

An outside temperature of 72°F can translate to 112° inside your car within 60 minutes.  Parking in shade or leaving the windows cracked do little to offset the oven dynamic.  Because dogs have to pant to cool themselves, they can quickly become overheated by having to pant and breathe overheated air.   Heatstroke can cause death, brain damage and organ failure.  Be safe this year and leave your pets at home when you are running errands. 

Dr. Barbe Glenn, DVM

LifeCare Animal Hospital

480-895-7800