Emergency vets have issued a plea to dog owners to avoid exercising their pets during the hottest part of the day, warning the average survival rate of a dog diagnosed with heat stroke is only 50%, and can be fatal in as little as 15 minutes. The warning comes after the Met Office issues a three-day heat alert for parts of the UK as temperatures are set to rocket to 34C.
Vets Now clinics up and down the country are braced to see an influx in heat stroke admissions as our pets grapple with temperatures which are set to soar into the 30’s in some parts of the country. Vets say it’s safe to take your dog for a walk at cooler parts of the day as long as they are well-hydrated.
However, external temperatures above 20C put your dog at risk of heat stroke, an illness that occurs when dogs are no longer able to self-regulate and keep their body temperature down. Many of the most severe emergency cases seen by vets are caused by dogs exercising too vigorously in the middle of the day when temperatures are at their highest.
Dave Leicester, an emergency vet, who looks after a team of experienced video vets at Vets Now, said: “Every summer, we’re inundated with calls about dogs suffering heat stroke during hot spells. Heavy panting and breathing difficulties are among the main early signs of heat stroke, which is life-threatening if left untreated.
“While dogs need regular exercise, their health and welfare is our greatest concern and during hot spells such as the one coming in the coming days, we would urge owners to walk their dogs in the early morning or late evening to avoid temperature extremes.”
Dogs can succumb to heat stroke – which is a high temperature not caused by a fever – if their body temperature rises just a few degrees above normal.
Heat stroke can kill a dog within 15 minutes. Dogs who are overweight or suffer from brachycephalic syndrome — upper airway abnormalities typically affecting flat-faced breeds — are most likely to experience the condition, but all dogs are potentially at risk. One of the other reasons dogs often succumb to heat stroke is when they are locked in a car on a warm day – external temperatures do not need to be very raised for cars to rapidly become dangerously hot. However, all dogs can easily overheat if they’re exposed to hot temperatures and a lack of ventilation and drinking water.
