Will dogs turn into hot dogs in such a hot weather? No, but it is really dangerous

There are already many popular science reports telling us that high temperatures are dangerous to humans and can cause heat stroke or even heat stroke. Similarly, now is also the peak season for heat stroke in animals, such as dogs.

"Doctor! Please check on our dog. What should we do? I put it in the car and went to pay the bill. Is it dead?!"

This was the scene that left the deepest impression on me during my internship at the veterinary hospital. I can still clearly recall every frame of it.

That summer was also very hot. The dog had just had surgery and was able to move around freely. As the owner said, the dog had only been in the car without air conditioning and windows open for more than ten minutes.

We later discovered that although the dog's body was still very weak in the recovery period after surgery, the root cause of the dog's death was heatstroke.

The reason I tell this story is to tell everyone that dogs, like humans, can suffer from heatstroke in high temperature environments (and dogs can suffer from heatstroke even when the temperature is not too high); heatstroke is also life-threatening for dogs .

This summer, when the Central Meteorological Observatory issued the first national red high temperature warning, dog lovers should not only protect themselves but also protect their dogs.

The dog that is too hot to walk丨luna

Dogs don't sweat to cool down

In a hot environment, humans can effectively dissipate heat by sweating profusely, but dogs cannot.

Dogs have only two main ways of cooling down: panting, and dilating their blood vessels .

When dogs pant rapidly with their mouths open and tongues sticking out, the moisture on their tongues, nasal passages, and lung linings evaporates quickly; as the air flows over these wet tissues, the dogs feel a little cooler.

A dog's blood vessels, especially those in the face and ears, can dilate in high temperatures, transporting superheated blood to the surface of the body to dissipate heat.

In addition, dogs' paws sweat, but this little sweat is not enough to lower their body temperature.

So in the heat, dogs often have a harder time cooling down than you do and suffer more than you do .

Picture: Small towel

Exercise increases cases of heat stroke

A research report from the United Kingdom showed that in 2016, the incidence of heat stroke-related illness in dogs was 0.04%; among these dogs, the mortality rate was 14.18% [1].

How much does heatstroke in dogs have to do with temperature?

The horizontal axis is the month, the left vertical axis is the number of cases, and the right vertical axis is the local average temperature. References [1]

This picture conveys two facts:

The higher the average temperature, the more cases of heat stroke in dogs;

Dogs may also suffer from heat stroke when the average temperature is low, such as in winter.

Another study, which looked at over 900,000 veterinary cases of dogs in the UK, analysed the causes of heat stroke in dogs[2]:

75% are due to excessive exercise or exercise in hot weather;

13% were unable to cope with the hot environment;

5% were due to being cooped up in a hot car;

3% were due to being confined in hot buildings.

This also explains the conclusion in the figure that "dogs also suffer from heatstroke when the temperature is low". For example: in the winter in the north, a dog that has just pulled a sled for an hour comes to a room with the heater turned on. The combination of "low temperature", "excessive exercise" and "hot environment" and the dog's poor cooling system can cause heatstroke in winter.

Temperature that humans can tolerate

Too hot for dogs

Among the causes of heat stroke in dogs, we can completely avoid overexercising dogs and keeping them in hot cars and buildings.

But as for "hot environment", how hot is hot for dogs?

Generally speaking, air temperature/room temperature below 20℃ is safe for dogs, with almost no risk of heat stroke;

For large dogs, flat-faced dogs (such as English bulldogs and pugs) and puppies, temperatures/room temperatures above 24°C may bring the risk of heat stroke;

Flat-faced dogs have an unhealthy respiratory system and are prone to heat stroke

If the air temperature/room temperature exceeds 28°C, all dogs are at risk of heat stroke;

When the temperature reaches 32°C or higher, dogs are likely to suffer from heat stroke.

In addition, obese dogs and dogs with heart disease are more likely to suffer from heatstroke than healthy dogs. Huskies, Alaskans, and Samoyeds are native to the north, and they are very, very unsuitable for living in places with perennial heat .

Although chubby dogs look cute, they don’t want to be like this丨Flip

Temperature aside, the longer a dog is exposed to the heat, the greater the risk of heat stroke .

So if it's hot outside, I don't recommend you walk your dog. For your dog's defecation needs, you can train it to use the toilet/dog toilet/cat litter box; you can also play the ball-tossing and fetching game with your dog at home to consume their excess energy and avoid demolishing your home.

To prevent heat stroke, shaving is useless

However, canceling dog walks due to high temperatures can only be a temporary stopgap measure .

Staying indoors for a long time will make your dog feel exhausted both physically and mentally, which is not good for the dog or your house. Moreover, the highest summer temperature in most cities in my country is above 30℃, so it is unrealistic not to walk the dog all summer.

Therefore, when we take our dogs out in the summer, there are a few things we need to pay special attention to:

Avoid going out at noon and in the afternoon, and try to go out in the early morning or evening when it is slightly cooler;

Don’t walk your dog for too long, and choose places with shade;

Carry drinking water with you and feed your dog some from time to time;

Avoid letting your dog get overly excited or playful in a hot environment.

Stray dogs resting in the shade of trees, they are very afraid of heat丨Maimai

There are also some measures that many people take but are actually unnecessary.

There is no need to wear shoes that prevent your dog from burning his feet . If the ground is hot enough to burn your dog's feet, you may as well cancel your plans to go out.

It is not recommended to shave a dog's hair . First, the hair can act as a sunscreen and insect repellent, and shaving will increase their risk of parasite infection and sunburn. Second, the dog's sweat glands do not grow under the hair, so shaving will not make the dog cooler.

Regardless of the season, dogs only need to be shaved under the guidance of a veterinarian if they suffer from skin diseases or injuries. It is OK to do beauty styling, but do not shave off all the hair and expose the skin.

This dog had to have his fur shaved because he came into contact with very sticky glue丨Ye Zi

Finally, please don’t just focus on protecting your dog, you also need to protect yourself from heatstroke!

References

[1]Hall EJ, Carter AJ, O'Neill D G. Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness (heatstroke) in UK dogs under primary veterinary care in 2016[J]. Scientific reports, 2020, 10(1): 1-12.

[2] Hall EJ, Carter AJ, O'Neill D G. Dogs don't die just in hot cars—exertional heat-related illness (Heatstroke) is a greater threat to UK dogs[J]. Animals, 2020, 10(8): 1324.

Author: SamKakeru

Editor: Li Xiaokui

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