Identify, treat and prevent heat stroke and sunstroke in dogs

Summer is finally here! It took long enough and spring was almost skipped over... The extreme weather changes are not only a burden on nature — they also promote an already underestimated risk for our four-legged friends (and us two-legged friends): overheating.

In this post, you will learn from our filu vet Anna:

• What is the difference between heatstroke and sunstroke is
• On which symptoms You should pay attention to your four-legged friend
• How you can prevent overheating
• How dangerous cars actually are in summer and
• which First aid measures there is.

The two most common types of overheating are heat stroke and sunstroke. I'm sure everyone has heard of it before, But what are the differences?

Heatstroke is a Warming the entire body due to too high outdoor temperatures. There is an increase in Body temperature above 40°C That the body itself can no longer regulate — it absorbs more heat than it can release, which leads to a massive disruption of the cardiovascular system.

Symptoms and triggers of heat stroke:

In addition to elevated body temperature, restlessness, irritability, disorientation, altered behavior, vomiting, rapid breathing and a rapid heartbeat, muscle weakness or cramps are visible signs of heatstroke. The classic cause of heat stroke in dogs is staying in a closed car, more rarely physical exertion in a warm environment — high humidity can also accelerate overheating.

And the sunstroke?

Sunstroke, on the other hand, is caused by excessive and direct sunlight on the head and neck area. In contrast to short-wave UV radiation, long-wave heat rays can penetrate the skullcap and result in local heat accumulation in the head, which irritates the sensitive meninges. Young dogs or very small breeds in particular are at risk here due to a thinner skullcap. The general body temperature during sunstroke is usually within the normal range. Local overheating in the brain is followed by an inflammatory reaction, which leads to typical symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting or impaired consciousness. In extreme cases, sunstroke can also cause swelling of the brain (so-called cerebral edema), which can lead to circulatory arrest and thus brain death. Sunstroke in dogs can be caused by spending a long time in blazing sun, for example by leashing in front of a shop or taking them on a boat.

The transitions between the two types of overheating are fluid and there is often a combination of both forms of heat damage. Recognizing heat stroke or sunstroke and taking the right action in an emergency is much more important than precisely distinguishing between the two types, because: both phenomena are absolutely life-threatening — rapid help is required in the event of heat stroke in particular.

Prevent heatstroke and sunstroke:

But first, of course, it is important to absolutely avoid overheating your four-legged friend!
Younger, very old or previously ill dogs in particular, as well as short-nosed breeds such as the French Bulldog or the Pug (so-called brachycephalic), have an increased risk of suffering heat damage. So be careful not to go for a walk in the midday heat and not to go on highly physically demanding trips on warm summer days — this includes longer hikes, bike rides, jogging, but also excessive ball games. If possible, choose cooler routes in the shade, for example in the forest, and/or ensure sufficient cooling options in water bodies (attention: respect nature reserves and bird protection zones). Postponing longer walks until early in the morning or late evening is also a good way to escape the summer heat.

Just leave my dog in the car for a short time?

As already mentioned, leaving the dog behind in a closed car is the number one cause of heat stroke. Although the vast majority of dog owners are well aware that a parked car heats up quickly in summer, it happens time and again that dogs are left behind “briefly” in the car. This shows that the risks and, in particular, the rate of heat development are still simply underestimated. A variety of studies have shown that even at pleasant outdoor temperatures of around 24°C, 31°C can be reached inside the vehicle after just 10 minutes in the sun — temperatures at which the organism must already work on active cooling in order to maintain normal body temperature (see table). A lack of air exchange, radiant heat and increased humidity due to increased panting by the dog continue to promote a progressive rise in temperature. Even on cloudy days, despite shady parking spaces and open windows or after pre-cooling with air conditioning, temperatures are reached in a parked car that are life-threatening — it just takes a little longer. In addition, it is often underestimated how quickly the weather can change: the cloud cover breaks open or the shadow migrates and direct sunlight immediately drastically accelerates the development of heat inside the vehicle.

This is how the heat in the car actually develops:

Temperature rise inside the vehicle when exposed to direct sunlight, modified according to Grundstein et al. (2010)

First aid and next steps in case of heat stroke:

Should your dog still show signs of heat stroke or sunstroke, the most important initial measure is to cool him down — you should leave everything else to a vet. First move your dog out of the “danger zone” to a cooler place, e.g. in the shade of a tree. The most effective way to cool down your four-legged friend is to pour water over him. The water should be as cool as possible, but not (ice) cold. Then head straight to the vet or to a veterinary clinic with a wet dog — you can cool your dog down further thanks to the cool air conditioning system or open windows in the car. It is best to call the vet on your way to the vet and announce your dog as an emergency so that everything can be prepared accordingly on site — every minute counts here!

Last but not least, other animals must not be left behind in the car. If you notice a locked vehicle with a dog (or other animal) and there is a risk of dangerous heat development, try to find the owner first. If this cannot be found, immediately notify the police and/or fire department to open the vehicle. By the way: if an animal is left behind in a locked, overheated car, the owner can expect a criminal complaint for animal cruelty. There may be a prison sentence of up to three years and a life-long ban on animal husbandry (according to §17 Animal Welfare Act). In any case, the costs of a possible rescue operation by the police or fire department must be borne by the responsible pet owner.

So the more animal owners are informed about the topic of heat in cars and the factors that promote it and are particularly aware of the rapid changes in weather conditions and thus the rate of heat development, the more of our furry friends we can protect against heat damage.

Source references:
Del Amo, C. “The car as a heat trap.” Technical article, WDT News, 3 (2017)
Grundstein, A., Dowd, J. and V. Meentemeyer (2010): Quantifying the heat-related hazard for children in motor vehicles. American Meterological Society, BAMS: 1183—1191
Teichmann, S., V. Turković, and R. Dörfelt. “Heat stroke in dogs in southern Germany.” Veterinary practice issue K: Small animals/pet animals 42.04 (2014): 213-222.

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