An intelligent comment by StrongBuck got me thinking.

StrongBuck 16 hours ago

I hear you BV. I moved to Texas last year and took our 2 dogs for a walk when it was 94 degrees at 5 pm. A few minutes into the walk and the Shih Tzu was struggling and I had to carry him back. I researched and read that he couldn't breath as well because of the shorter nose. I had no idea and I felt so bad after that and it was a lesson learned. I almost hurt my little guy doing the thing he loves most. Now I make sure the sun is down and he loves it. 

I'm getting a little long in the tooth as a veterinarian (30 years last month - and 40 years in the profession. Got my first dog at age two. I live with 7 dogs & 3 cats. And 1 animal loving, fine woman. My point is that some of the things I take for granted, thinking everyone should know, often aren't as commonly known as I think they are. Everyone knows not to leave children or dogs in a hot car. Most of the dogs who die in cars are not because the owners deliberately left them in the car, thinking it wasn't too hot & they could crack the windows. Most are just absent mindedly forgotten. Recently, a police officer on the east coast came home from a 3rd shift, fell exhausted into bed & forgot the police dogs in the car. Both were dead by the time he woke up 6 - 7 hours later and realized he had not brought them in.

But more commonly, I see a dog out running in the park, or being walked, who should not be out on a day like today, with the heat advisory we have. It's 89 degrees out and humid & sunny. Which gives us a heat index of 100 - 103. Remember that dogs have very few sweat glands (paws & nose) and lose heat by panting off warm, moist air. If it is humid out, it makes it that much harder to cool off because they are breathing back in hot, humid air instead of cool air.

At particular risk are Nordic breeds with their double coats (Akita, Chow, Husky, Malamute, American Eskimo) or any dog with a thick coat (Pomeranian). For other reasons, Brachycephalic breeds are at severe risk also (Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Pug, Bull Mastiffs, Shih Tzu, etc...). Because of the structure of their heads they have very long palates, narrow sinuses, often have smaller tracheas, and can't move air very well compared to your average mutt.

So what to do? Use common sense - walk early in the day or late at night, pay attention to humidity & heat index, take cold water along, and shorten the walks.

If you think your dog is overheating and your vet or vet emergency service isn't handy, here's some things you can do:

1. Get a tempature. Average is 100 - 102.8. At 104, he's too hot. Sacrifice a thermometer and get a rectal temperature. At 106 you're headed for real trouble.

2. Cold water - concentrate on his legs & the back of the dog's head/neck. Hose or shower. Give them ice water to drink, but don't let them gorge themselves. Gorging water after exercise can be a predisposing factor for gastric torsion (a whole other nightmare). Keep taking their temp. Stop cooling them when it drops back down to 103.

3. You can generally safely give aspirin at 5 - 10 mg per pound. Adult aspirin is usually 325 mg. It can help to lower the temp a little. Do NOT give Aleve, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc... (P.S. Did you know that 1 dose of Tylenol can kill a cat?).

4. Brachycephalic breed tip - Squirt lemon juice in their mouth/throat. It's a mucolytic (breaks up mucus) so that your bulldog with a temp of 106 with a throat full of saliva & mucus can breathe easier.

5. Get to a vet, get to a vet, get to a vet..... There are often dangerous, lingering after effects that may need to be mitigated. 

Hope this helps someone and makes for one less hurtin' pooch & one less anguished owner.

P.S. It's ok if you find this "tl;dr".