Stroke, dehydration among pets higher this summer

PUNE: Veterinary clinics are recording a surge in cases of dogs suffering from excessive panting, high body temperature, respiratory stress, lethargy, refusal to eat or drink water, dehydration and change in behaviour because of the excessive heat.
Mercury surpassed the 40°C-mark in the city over the past few days. Veterinarian Sagar Bhongale said, "This summer has been worse than that in the last year. More dogs are suffering from heatstroke, some cases have been fatal, too. It is crucial to pay more attention to any change in your pet's routine, stamina, food and water intake, and body temperature this summer. Their normal body temperature should be in the range of 101-102°F. Anything above it points to a fever. If the temperature goes up to 105°F, it is considered heatstroke."
He said, "If a dog is left unchecked for two-three hours in such a condition, there can be hypothermic fever, also known as brain fever. It then becomes very difficult to bring the body temperature down. If you can't or don't want to use a clinical thermometer on your pet, feel the inside of their ears to check if they are hotter than usual to indicate a fever."
Veterinarian and pathologist Mahesh Brahmankar said many concerned pet parents had been sending him videos of pets to enquire if a visit to the vet was necessary. "I'm seeing patients not wanting to touch their food for three-four days, another sitting in one corner with low energy levels and some with rapid increase in respiration rate, and excessive and loud panting. In some cases, we have had to put saline to hydrate the dog. Long-term dehydration can lead to renal issues and the dog can go into shock due to stress."
Experts said brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apso and Boxers were more susceptible to dehydration and heatstroke because of their short snouts. "It makes it difficult to dissipate the heat. Senior and obese dogs, and those with comorbidities such as cardiac or respiratory issues are also at a higher risk," one of them said.
Pet parents are resorting to various ways to cajole pets into staying hydrated. "Since my dogs don't want to drink water, I give them diluted curd, cool bone broth and other liquids with tastes they like to ensure that they consume enough liquids. It is also important not to take your dog for a walk when the sun is scorching. I also avoid making them wear any clothes as it only slows down dissipation of heat from their bodies," said Seema Pawar, who has a Lhasa Apso and an old Labrador at home.
"Always keep a cool damp towel ready to wipe your dog after a walk to help it cool down. Products like cooling beds can also help. Many pet parents think that shaving the fur off their dog's body will provide them some relief from the heat, but the fur actually helps them self-regulate body temperature. Shaving fur can put them at the risk of getting sunburn and heatstroke. Longer-fur dogs can be trimmed, but not shaved completely," said Ajinkya Bedkar, who owns an Indie and a Golden Retriever.