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Health
Heatstroke
Exercising in hot
weather can cause potentially fatal heatstroke in dogs¾even in
salukis. The saluki’s tendency to run at high speed causes a rapid
rise in body temperature. In cold weather this excess heat is
rapidly dissipated, but in Florida’s hot, humid weather it is not.
Signs of distress include rapid panting, abundant and thick saliva,
reddened mucous membranes, and swollen tongue. The dog will often
become agitated, as though seeking escape from the discomfort of
overheating. If the temperature is not brought down immediately,
breathing becomes laboured and loud, cerebral oedema may develop,
the dog may have convulsions, go into a stupor or coma, and die.
The best way to
treat a dog with heatstroke is to combine body wetting (with a hose
or by submersing in water or wetting with soaked cloths) with air
currents, either by aiming a fan on the dog or placing the dog in a
moving car or air conditioning. Do not plunge the dog in ice water;
this extreme cold causes peripheral blood vessels to constrict,
essentially trapping heat in the body core. In extreme cases a cool
water enema may be necessary to reduce body temperature. It’s
important to quit cooling before the temperature even reaches
normal, because cooling will continue for several minutes after
efforts cease.
Extremely high body
temperature causes red blood cells to disintegrate; the kidneys try
to excrete the resulting excess of haemoglobin. Even if the
temperature is brought down, dogs can still succumb to the effects
of DIC (disseminated internal coagulation) and kidney failure in the
following days. This is why any dog should be taken to a
veterinarian following an encounter with heatstroke even if they
seem to have recovered. In most cases IV therapy is needed to combat
dehydration. Other drug therapies may be needed to combat
cerebral oedema or maintain urine production. The dog should be
monitored and rested for the next 24 hours.
Materials are from:
http://www.floridasaluki.org
D. Caroline Coile,
Ph.D Copyright © 2003-2011. All rights reserved.
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