RSPCA's stark warning to anyone wanting to walk their dog during heatwave

Daily Mirror

4 days ago

WARNING: CONTAINS DISTRESSING VIDEO. The RSPCA has shared a upsetting video to show owners the reality of what can happen when your pet overheats in the summer months
As Britain bakes in another heatwave, the RSPCA has issued a stark message to anyone wanting to walk their pets in the sunshine. The animal experts continuously warn owners against walking their pets in hot weather - but no matter how many times they issue a warning, people keep doing it.
‌
However, a distressing video appears to have given some owners a wake up call after seeing the reality of what can happen when your pet overheats in the summer months. The video, which is so upsetting it comes with a TikTok warning, shows a dog panting on a vet table as it tries to cool down its body temperature.
‌
The poor animal is heavily panting while struggling to breath, drooling excessively, and is uncoordinated and stumbling.
‌
Their warning reads: "Involving your pooch in your family outings may feel like the right thing to do this summer, but when the weather gets hot there are some considerations and practical steps that we must take to ensure our dog's health and welfare is always being prioritised.
"Dogs sadly die on hot walks. If in doubt, don't go out! Spotting the signs of overheating could mean the difference between life and death."
Symptoms of heatstroke in dogs:
The RSPCA has listed the following as symptoms you need to watch out for:
‌
Collapse: heat exhaustion, when severe, could cause the dog to collapse.
Confusion or disorientation: dehydration might make the dog lightheaded or dizzy, affecting their movements.
Dehydration: this can present as a dry nose, sunken eyes, heavy panting, infrequent urination, and tiredness.
Drooling: if the dog is drooling more often, and it's thicker and stickier, this could be a symptom of heatstroke.
Increased heart rate: check a dog's heartbeat by placing your hand on their chest, just behind their front leg's elbow. A fast pulse could signal overheating (remember that the dog's size affects their resting heart rate: big dogs have slower pulses, whereas small dogs have quicker pulses).
Muscle spasms: these heat cramps are often associated with dehydration, and might appear as shivering and shaking despite the high temperatures.
Noisy breathing: breathing noisily or faster than normal, especially if the dog is a flat-faced breed, is a sign of overheating.
Panting: dogs cool down by panting, so the more they pant, the hotter they are.
Red gums and tongue: whilst this is often a symptom of a dental problem, when coupled with panting and heavy breathing, red gums can occur when a dog is overheating.
Seizures: heatstroke, especially in dogs with epilepsy, can trigger seizures and loss of consciousness.
Vomiting and diarrhoea: stool that's softer than normal can be a symptom of heat exhaustion. Stool and diarrhoea that contains blood is a sign that the heatstroke has become more severe.
Weakness and lethargy: the dog might sleep more, have trouble standing or walking, or generally seem more sluggish with their movements.
Warning: Distressing video
‌
While all dogs can overheat in warm weather, owners with dogs with health conditions, flat-faced breeds and dogs with thick coats are most at risk.
If you notice your dog is suffering in the heat, you should stop moving, give them water and find shade immediately.
It's important to keep an eye on them until they recover or if they get worse, safety transport them to a vets while trying to cool their dog temperature on the journey.
You can try to help cool them down by pouring water over them, submerging their body in cool water, or creating a breeze by fanning them.