Pet care experts advice to keep your animals out of heat during record high temperature days

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Pets are at risk of heat stroke in high temperatures and veterinarians advise to keep your pets out of the heat.

Pets can overheat very fast because their body temperatures are naturally higher, a temperature over 104 is considered dangerous and medical attention is needed.

“If you think your dog is having a heat stroke just go,” says Doctor Merten Pearson, Veterinarian at Noah’s Ark pet hospital of Amarillo. “It’s easier to go in and have them say we can cool him down a bit and he’ll be alright.”

When outside make sure your pets have plenty of fresh cool water and shade, if an owner can’t provide that get them inside where you can control the temperature.

“You have to give them ways to get rid of heat,” says Doctor Pearson. “Shave the coat down, provide them where they can get some water on them and get some cool water in them. Set up a sprinkler they can go run and play in. Just use your imagination, what are things that you can do to provide them opportunities and the ability to lose heat.”

Heat strokes in pets occur when they are outside and get dehydrated, if left untreated it can result in death.

Symptoms of a heat stroke in pets include weakness, collapsing, panting, and loss of appetite.

An at home remedy for mild heat stroke is to get your pet wet and give them cool water to drink.

Home care could endanger your pet if the heat stroke is severe and it is recommended to seek veterinary care.

“Heat stroke’s a train wreck and it is much better to avoid it than to bring them here and have me treat it,” says Doctor Pearson. “It is sometimes a losing cause and I hate losing dogs to something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

The Amarillo-Panhandle Humane Society is trying to keep it’s dogs cool in the high temperatures by asking for donations of kiddie pools.

The kiddie pools are used in APHS play yards when the dogs have play time.

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