Warning...Heat Stroke!!!!
I got a call from a family to tell me that their 5 year old male died last night of a heat stroke. His name was Canyon and he was just at the vet a month ago for a well visit. He was in perfect health,just had a puppy clip and was always given Heartguard and his flea/tick preventative. The family had him boarded while on vacation and Canyon had been to this kennel since he was a pup. When the vet took his temp, it was 120.6.I am in shock and crying as I am writing this. An autopsy has been performed along with cremation. Please everyone with this heatwave sweeping the country, please be very very careful. Robin |
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| That is just so sad. |
 Oh, nooo. I'm so sorry. The family must be devastated. |
| That poor family...I am so sorry.. |
The poor dog, poor family  |
| I am so sorry |
| Wow......I am so sorry for the dog and his family. If this happened because of the kennel, I hope they will figure out what went wrong and make sure it will never happen again. Saying prayers for you all. |
| How sad. |
| Oh My! My thoughts and prayers go out to you and family! Just another reminder how difficult it is for our dogs in this heat. Don't ssume your dog will find a shady area outside. Best not to let your dogs run and/or be outside without your immediate supervision...and not for more than a few minutes. Our sheepie hugs go out to you  |
| I am so sorry for their loss. Lisa Frankie and Mattie |
| WOW. Sympathies from Ohio. I hate hot weather with a passion. In the summer, our house it much like a meat locker without the sides of beef hanging around. Our rule is that the dogs don't go out if I won't. When it's time to do their business, I go out with them and herd them back ASAP. I make up for the outside playtime with playing tug and chase in the house. Jen's isn't too fond of all the rough housing but it beats the alternative. Please send wishes of love and hope to your family. Vance |
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I'm so sorry.  Kristine |
| This is just awful. I feel so bad for the family. |
| My heart goes out to that family. Cindy |
| That just makes me ill. |
| I read all of the postings to the family. The family had asked me to warn others and if this tragedy could alert others then his death was a reminder to never underestimate how fast a dogs temp can rise causing even death. They are hurting right now and I feel helpless,although they did find your words comforting. They wanted everyone here to know Canyon was a smart,handsome, loving boy.Everywhere he went he caused a commotion,everyone adored him and he especially loved children. He will be sorely missed as we can imagine.They are sending their humble thanks as well as I,for the caring sentiments. Please give your kids an extra hug tonight. Robin |
| So very sorry. Special thoughts and hugs for Canyon's family. |
| Ugh. I cannot imagine how difficult this is for the family. We are sorry for their loss. Laurie and Oscar |
| I am so sorry for your loss. |
| It is so nice of them to think of the rest of our sheepdogs. I can't even imagine the grief they must feel. That is incredibly sad. Really awful. Thanks for the reminder. I wish them comfort for their loss. |
| This might be a good place for those more experienced out there to remind us less experienced what the signs of heat stroke are in dogs. I had it once, from playing in a weekend baseball tournament during a hot weekend and it was truly awful. How do we see warning signs in our sheepies? I haven't been able to get this family's story out of my mind and my heart aches for them. |
| Kim, I've never seen it thank god, but my understanding is that it starts with heavy panty and dog's skin etc turns bright red. Dog's don't sweat (efficiently) so the temperature can continue to rise even after they're out of the extreme heat that set the heat stroke in motion. As it does the dog's membranes (check gums0 can turn light bluish/gray (indicating lack of oxygen), dog collapses and goes into shock. At that point you're hard pressed to pull them through. I know you're not supposed to submerge them in water, certainly not for any length of time, though it is important to cool them down, of course. Best recourse when possible is to get them into a cool environment, put a strong fan on them, hose them with COOL not freezing water, and you can also use ice packs on the groin (major veins run through there - if you cool the blood you effectively cool the dog) I've used this last method, with care, to keep dogs cool when competing in agility in the summer heat (which I just plain don't do much any more) You have to be careful because it is so effective you can actually cause hypothermia  Timely as the middle section of the US looks to be facing a week from hell. We have a heat advisory here today and though I worked outside myself for 20-30 minutes at a time, dogs are staying indoors in A/C and I didn't attend obedience class. There's a point where it just ain't worth the risk. I do know a dog who has experienced heat stroke and survived is more susceptible afterwards. Once the process is set in motion it can be hard to reverse. Better to play safe than sorry and prevent. Still feel sick about this horrific loss. Kristine |
| Such an awfull thing to happen, my heart goes out to the family at their loss. Living in the climate we do here in Australia, we are very aware of heat stroke, especially in the summer months and how fast it can happen, good link for everyone to have to help recognise the symtoms of heat stroke. http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-ang ... esses.html |
| Thanks for sharing the link... it's something we all need to know. It's getting sooo darn hot here too.  #5 blade shaving all the OESs and going to put up the deeper doggy pool so they can have fun despite the hot weather. Thank goodness too for air conditioning. Someone up this way left their bulldogs in the car last week while they went in to gamble. Dogs need to stay home in this kind of weather if we can't supervise them. http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=639262 |
| I copied this really good article on heat stroke. It was submitted to our Basset Buddies Rescue newsletter : Dog Heatstroke Survival Guide Know how to treat and prevent this dangerous condition. by Robert Newman What is heatstroke? In simple terms, heatstroke occurs when a dog loses its natural ability to regulate its body temperature. Dogs don't sweat all over their bodies the way humans do. Canine body temperature is primarily regulated through respiration (i.e., panting). If a dog's respiratory tract cannot evacuate heat quickly enough, heatstroke can occur. To know whether or not your dog is suffering from heatstroke (as opposed to merely heat exposure), it's important to know the signs of heatstroke. A dog's normal resting temperature is about 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Once a dog's temperature rises above 105 degrees, physiological changes start to take place, and the dog begins to experience the effects of heatstroke. At 106 to 108 degrees, the dog begins to suffer irreversible damage to the kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, heart and brain. If a dog is experiencing heatstroke, you may observe excessive panting; hyperventilation; increased salivation; dry gums that become pale, grayish and tacky; rapid or erratic pulse; weakness; confusion; inattention; vomiting; diarrhea; and possible rectal bleeding. If the dog continues to overheat, breathing efforts become slowed or absent, and finally, seizures or coma can occur. The amount of damage a dog sustains when stricken with heatstroke depends on the magnitude and duration of the exposure. The longer and more severe the exposure, the worse the damage will be. What to do? Pay attention to your dog. Recognizing the symptoms of heatstroke and responding quickly is essential for the best possible outcome. Get into the shade. If you think your dog is suffering from heatstroke, move it into a shaded area and out of direct sunlight. Apply cool water to the inner thighs and stomach of the dog, where there's a higher concentration of relatively superficial, large blood vessels. Apply cool water to the foot pads, as well. Use running water. A faucet or hose is the best way to wet down your dog's body. Never submerge your dog in water, such as in a pool or tub - this could cool the dog too rapidly, leading to further complications, including cardiac arrest and bloating. Use cool - not cold - water. Many people make the mistake of using cold water or ice to cool the dog. When faced with a dog suffering from heatstroke, remember that the goal is to cool the dog. Using ice or extremely cold water is actually counterproductive to this process because ice and cold water cause the blood vessels to constrict, which slows blood flow, thus slowing the cooling process. Don't cover the dog. One of the keys to successfully cooling your dog is ensuring the water being placed on the dog can evaporate. Never cover an overheated dog with a wet towel or blanket. This inhibits evaporation and creates a sauna effect around your dog's body. Likewise, don't wet the dog down and put it into an enclosed area, such as a kennel. Any air flow during the cooling process is helpful in reducing the dog's body temperature. Sitting with the wet dog in a running car with the air conditioner blowing is an ideal cooling situation. Keep the dog moving. It's important to try to encourage your dog to stand or walk slowly as it cools down. This is because the circulating blood tends to pool in certain areas if the dog is lying down, thus preventing the cooled blood from circulating back to the core. Allow the dog to drink small amounts of water. Cooling the dog is the first priority. Hydration is the next. Don't allow the dog to gulp water. Instead, offer small amounts of water that's cool, but not cold. If the dog drinks too much water too rapidly, it could lead to vomiting or bloat. Avoid giving human performance drinks. Performance beverages designed for humans are not recommended because they are not formulated with the canine's physiology in mind. If you can't get an overheated dog to drink water, try offering chicken or beef based broths. See a veterinarian once your dog's temperature begins to drop, cease the cooling efforts and bring the dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your dog's temperature should be allowed to slowly return to normal once cooling has begun. A dog that's cooled too quickly may become hypothermic. Even if your dog appears to be fully recovered, the veterinarian needs to check to determine if the heatstroke caused any damage to your dog's kidneys and liver. The effects of heatstroke can continue for 48 to 72 hours longer, even if your dog appears normal. William Grant, DVM, a veterinarian for 20 years and former President of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, has treated hundreds of cases of heatstroke, ranging from mild to fatal. According to Grant, the most common cause of death following heatstroke is disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (blood coagulating throughout the body), or DIC, which can occur hours or days after the heatstroke episode. DIC can also be caused by pyometra or septicemia, but Grant says heatstroke is the most common cause. "Once a dog develops DIC, it may bleed in the thorax, abdomen, nose and intestine," Grant says. "Once the blood-clotting factors are consumed, there is an inability of the blood vessels to prevent leaking; the condition is almost always fatal." For this reason, follow-up veterinary care is essential following a heatstroke episode, even if your dog seems to be completely fine. Prevention is the best medicine. The best treatment for heatstroke is prevention. Especially during the summer months, it's essential to be aware of the potential for heatstroke. Knowing the signs of heatstroke, and taking the necessary steps to prevent it, will ensure your dog can have a safe and active life year-round. ************************** The DIC component was new to me. I've worked with DIC in humans...not good. Almost always fatal and very very nasty. |
| Thank you Dawn for taking the time to post this. I am sick to my stomach thinking what poor Canyon must of experienced. Poor dog had to have suffered and it looks like from reading this how long was he left in the heat. Makes me so very unhappy to know a kennel could be so cruel and careless to loose a healthy dog this way.I do not use kennels,never did,never will.I have someone come to my home that I know and trust to take care of my beloved family members. Canyon was a puppy from me and this just makes it even harder to accept.He lived in Baton Rouge,Louisiana.I still feel so awful and helpless for his family.I think about him daily and do shed tears for such a senseless loss. Reminder with this horrific heat wave sweeping the country..... Spread this valuable info Dawn has posted..... Thank you. Robin |
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