#169 The Silent Danger of Dog Overheating

The silent danger of canine overheating lurks behind many of our everyday activities with our pets. We explore the fundamental biological differences that make dogs particularly vulnerable to heat stress, revealing that their reliance on panting rather than sweating creates a perilous situation many owners don't fully understand.

Chapters

• 0:00 Dogs' Limited Cooling Systems
• 0:58 Hot Running Creatures
• 1:38 Signs of Canine Overheating
• 2:40 Emergency Response to Overheating

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

You know, dogs are not built for heat, and it's not just that fur coat that they wear, though that doesn't help, but it's that their entire cooling system is limited compared to ours. Humans can sweat across almost every inch of our skin, dogs cannot. They do have sweat glands in their paw pads, but those do almost nothing for temperature regulation. Instead, dogs rely on panting to cool off, which works by evaporating moisture from the tongue and the mouth and the upper airway. But panting isn't all that efficient and especially when it's hot and humid out, if the air itself is warm and full of moisture, that evaporation doesn't work well and their internal temperature can start to climb quickly. And you know, what's often overlooked is the fact that dogs are hot running creatures. Just a few minutes of play or walking on a sunny day can push their core temp into dangerous territory. Flat-faced breeds or overweight dogs or dogs with thick or dark coats are especially vulnerable. Coats are especially vulnerable. But any dog can overheat in the right conditions. And here's where human habits can clash with dog biology.

Speaker 1: 1:38

In the wild, dogs and their relatives would not be out walking in the midday sun. They would rest in the shade during the hottest hours and become more active in the early morning or evening. We're the only species dragging ourselves and our dog out into the heat of the day to check off errands or squeeze in a walk. So when your dog resists that 1 pm stroll, they're probably not being stubborn 1 pm stroll. They're probably not being stubborn, they're probably just following an instinct that has kept their ancestors alive for thousands of years.

Speaker 1: 2:12

And if your dog begins to overheat it can become an emergency fast. So you want to watch out for heavy or excessive panting. For heavy or excessive panting bright, red or very pale gums, glassy or unfocused eyes or maybe wobbling or lagging behind on the walk or just lying down unexpectedly. So if you think your dog is starting to overheat, get them to the shade immediately, offer them cool water, not icy water, then soak their belly and paws and inner thighs with cool water or wet towels and then use a fan or an air condition, if available, to help evaporate that heat. But if the symptoms don't resolve in a minute or two or if they worsen, call your vet right away. Dogs won't make a big deal about overheating, but when they slow down or stop, take them seriously. They may not just be tired, they may be trying to stay alive.