Heat exhaustion is also known as hypothermia. High temperatures can endanger your pets and cause heat exhaustion. This occurs when your pet’s body temperature rises above the healthy range, and they can’t regulate their body temperature. 

Most of the time, heat exhaustion happens during summer. Dogs eliminate heat by panting, but there are times that this panting is not enough to regulate their body temperature, resulting in a temperature rise. This will eventually lead to heat exhaustion and stroke, which are fatal for pets if not treated immediately. 

A hot environment can cause heat exhaustion for dogs. When pet owners become careless, their dogs might suffer heat exhaustion. Some dogs are more prone to heat exhaustion than others. Close monitoring is needed to ensure that your dogs are adequately hydrated and will lessen the chance of having heat exhaustion. The best way to keep your pets from heat exhaustion is to prevent them from overheating. However, we cannot control the temperature outside. Therefore pet owners must create strategies to keep their pets cool even during summer. 

Five common symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke: 

• Difficulty in breathing. Panting constantly is one of the symptoms of heat exhaustion. This happens when they stay outside for too long and while walking during peak temperature hours. If your dogs are constantly panting faster than usual, they might be overheated. Keeping your house cool and hydrated during peak hours can help lessen the chance of hyperventilation. 
• Fever. Fever is common for dogs. Your dog’s nose is usually wet and marvelous; therefore, if it starts to dry and turns hot, it indicates a fever. Body temperature exceeding 103 degrees Fahrenheit is not average for pets.  Knowing the history of your pets might help you avoid the possibility of having fevers. 
• Dehydration and excessive drooling. Dehydration is expected even for humans. This is also a common indication that your pet suffers from heat exhaustion. If you are a pet owner, signs like dry nose, tiredness, panting, and sunken eyes are early signs of heat exhaustion in your pets. The unusual color of gums can also be an indication of heat exhaustion. Drooling also becomes excessive when they are suffering from heat exhaustion. Thicker and stickier drools are not healthy. Drinking enough water is advised to keep your dogs hydrated during summer. 
• Muscle tremors, lack of urine, and rapid pulse. If your pets fail to drink enough water, they urinate less. This indicates that they suffer from dehydration which could lead to heat exhaustion. Another sign that your dogs are not feeling well is when they have a rapid pulse. This can be checked by placing your hand near their chest. If their pulse is slightly elevated, this could be a sign of overheating. Muscle tremors like shaking or shivering might be caused by heat exhaustion. 
• Weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness. Overheating can weaken your pets. This will eventually make them nap often and have trouble standing up. Stools that are soft and with blood in it is another early sign of heat exhaustion for animals. Heat exhaustion can cause dizziness in both humans and pets. Difficulty walking indicates that your dogs might suffer from dehydration and exhaustion. 

Heat exhaustion in pets can be prevented. Make sure your dog does not stay outside for too long, especially during peak temperature hours. Keeping your house cool during summer and providing enough water to your pets will reduce heat exhaustion. Your dog’s medical history will tell you the right thing to do to keep them healthy. 

Treating heat exhaustion is one of the things we need to learn as pet owners. Taking your dog to a cool area or wetting them with cool water is one of the things that you should do if your pets are suffering from heat exhaustion. Cold water is dangerous for pets who are suffering from heat exhaustion. Reducing the fever is another concern; in this case, you can apply cool water around their ears and paws. Checking their temperature every few moments is a must. Providing your pets with lukewarm water or cool water to drink will also help your dogs cool down. Lastly, calling your veterinarian as soon as possible, even if your pets are recovering, will help you monitor for shock, dehydration, and other complications of heat exhaustion. 

Prevention is better than cure. Being responsible pet owners is necessary to keep our pets healthy. Sometimes, we cannot monitor our pets for personal reasons, especially when traveling or working. We cannot take our pets with us most of the time. We cannot just leave them at home by themselves. Proper feeding and keeping them hydrated are needed so they will not suffer heat exhaustion. Therefore, hiring professionals to help us care for our pets is required to keep you at peace when you leave for work or travel. Pet sitting companies are everywhere. With all the different pet sitting companies available in the market, it is hard to choose the best and the most trusted among them.

Animal People Pet Sitting & Dog Walking will surely add to your expectations regarding pet sitting. Our love for pets makes us capable of taking care of your pets. We have a well-trained and expert pet sitter you can trust with your pets and your house while you are away. Our expertise is able to connect with your pets easily which is why you won’t be worrying about them while you are out for a vacation.