18 Signs Of Heat Exhaustion In Dogs

Panting is a dog behavior beneficial to regulate the temperature of a body. Excessive panting can be a distinct sign of overheating.

A hot dog will increase the rate and heaviness of its panting to try to lower its body temperature. This can also be a result of high temperatures within the room, lack of shade, or small amounts of intake of water.

One of the more obvious symptoms a dog suffering from heat exhaustion may show is drooling. Drooling to a moderate degree is quite normal, particularly in breeds like Mastiffs and Saint Bernards.

If drooling is excessive, then it could be the case in which the dog is overheated and his body has more work to cool him. Drooling caused by heat stroke is mostly accompanied by other symptoms like sleepiness, tachycardia, and panting. 

Dogs with pale gums most probably have heat exhaustion. A dog's color of gum should be healthy-pink in color, signifying that oxygenation and blood flow are normal.

The white or pale gums of a dog are caused when the body is unable to sustain proper blood circulation due to heat exhaustion. This can also cause other signs of heat exhaustion such as salivation and weakness.

A rapid heart rate in a dog can be a sign of heat exhaustion. It happens as the body tries to rid itself of additional heat by raising the heart rate. 

The rise in heart rate is a needed response but transient to the body's gain in warmth. If it continues for a long time along with signs of vomiting or collapse, it is necessary to seek veterinary care.

If your dog is suffering from heat exhaustion, one of the signs it may show is vomiting. A rise in body temperature can affect the constipation tract and cause dog vomiting.

The body of a dog suffering from heat exhaustion is likely to cope by removing harmful contents from the body. Straining and discomfort can also hamper the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal system, causing diarrhea.

Dogs suffering from heat exhaustion will show symptoms of general weakness or lack of energy and physical strength. A dog's body, once subjected to extreme heat, finds it quite tough to maintain temperature and overcome overheating stress.

The blood flow of an overheated dog diverts to the skin's surface to try to cool itself, minimizing the amount of blood and oxygen reaching the muscles and other important organs. Such poor circulation can make the dog weak and could be a reason that it is unable to stand or walk.

If your dog is weak, move him into a cooler environment or in a shade. You can also rehydrate and cool off by providing a small amount of fresh and cold water.

Uncoordinated movements also form as one of the alarming signs of heatstroke in dogs, for this would be indicative that the body is failing to sustain normal muscular activity. It can also cause the dog to cramp, making it hard for them to run, walk, or stand up.

This lack of coordination is mostly manifested by stumbling, difficulty walking across obstacles, or completely losing control over its limbs.

Overheating is likely to affect a dog's balancing and spatial positioning abilities, resulting in dizziness or unsteadiness. It can also display instabilities and make them unable to respond normally to any command or instruction.

Lethargy forms one of the major and worrying symptoms of canine heat exhaustion, therefore dogs with the condition need to be monitored for the same. In heat exhaustion, the strained effort of the body to cool itself leads to general weakness and exhaustion of the body.

A dog with heat exhaustion will find it very hard to operate at normal daily functions. The dog may even look lazy or unwilling to play or exercise.

Muscle tremor is another major symptom of how your dog may be suffering from heat exhaustion. It can happen if the body's temperature becomes so high that the body can no longer keep up with normal physiologic processes.

This will shift the electrolyte balance and the amount of water in the body, required to allow the proper and healthy functioning of the muscles.

Some of the more common behavioral signs and symptoms of exhaustion in dogs include an elevated body temperature called hyperthermia, which can quite easily be fatal unless recognized and treated directly on the spot in fact within minutes. 

When measuring the temperature of a dog, the normal range is from 38.3°C to 39.2°C or 101°F to 102.5°F. The rise in the body temperature of the dog causes several physiological changes within the body of a dog.

It will also make the dog lose more energy and, for that matter, manifest as weakness and tiredness due to an increase in metabolic rate.

Dogs that are suffering from heat exhaustion will tend to lose their appetites, an indication that the dog is going through a lot of discomfort from the high body temperatures. Therefore, this natural hunger of the dog will be diminished or not felt at all during the hot periods hence affecting the metabolic activities of the body.

It also tries to economize the energy to reduce the stress rather than focusing on eating and digesting the food. If your dog is not eating, it may be because the energy needs have to be shifted toward cooling the body similar to the human reactions to heat-related illnesses.

Dogs that are heat-exhausted can have a dry nose, which alone is indicative of dehydration. A dog's nose is, at all times, wet and this goes a long way in smell and temperature regulation. 

When a dog gets too hot, their body's capacity to keep the nose wet may be inhibited. A dog’s dry nose can give an early enough recognition of heat exhaustion and its proper treatment. 

Excessive thirst is among the most common and serious symptoms manifested in canine cases of heat exhaustion. In an overheated dog, the sudden loss of water content from the body through panting and drooling brings down the temperature.

This brings out heat exhaustion, raising the temperature of the body, and leaving the dog yearning for more water to help in cooling. The body reacts to such extreme thirst by replenishing lost fluids and preventing the temperature from increasing any further.

One of the most distressing symptoms in dogs that develop heatstroke is the passing of dark-colored urine, which indicates serious dehydration and malfunctioning of the kidneys. Dog urine should always be light yellow as it indicates that they have enough intake of water. 

However, when it becomes too hot to bear for a dog, it pants and drools so much that it becomes dehydrated. It urinates darker because the urine is very concentrated due to dehydration.

The kidneys purify waste and balance fluids in the body. Once the animal becomes dehydrated, the production of more diluted and decreased volumes of urine follows as the kidneys cannot work properly. Dark-colored urine would be the last effort of the body to save on water, indicating reduced kidney function.

Heart exhaustion can cause your dog confusion as the high temperature hits the dog’s central nervous system. It is because, as it gets too hot in a dog’s brain, the lack of blood flow and oxygen makes it hard to function. 

If you think your dog may be confused, act quickly, and move the dog into a cooler environment or, an air-conditioned space to start bringing their temperature down. Give the dog small quantities of cool, fresh water to rehydrate them. 

You can also douse the pet with cool not cold water, soaking the tummy, paws, and armpits well.

Fainting is another sign that your dog may be suffering from heat exhaustion. An overheated dog may start panting causing their heart rate to increase and result in fainting.