I recently found myself involved in a very serious situation involving a friend's dog.
"Simon" is an American Bulldog. This breed is prone to overheating due to their "brachycephalic" skull shape which means that they have short noses and flat faces. Simon's person is very careful with him because he has a history of not being able to tolerate high temperatures due to the breathing issues that can result from this conformation. However, last Saturday, the weather quickly turned from mild to very sunny and hot while Simon was being taken on a walk.
I rushed to my neighbor's home when she called to tell me that Simon was panting heavily. We cooled him (please note the article below which provides more extensive information on what to do in an overheating emergency) using cool (but not cold water) especially concentrating on his paw pads, neck and under his arms and between his hind legs. I also applied a diluted peppermint essential oil to his ear tip and paw pads to support the movement of heat. I then applied light circular motions to a point used in acupressure (GV 14 base of the neck between the shoulder blades) which is a point used to clear heat from the entire body.
As Simon was too heavy for my friend and me to carry him to the car, my friend called a mobile veterinarian who provided an IV of saline and some medications to assist Simon. Thankfully, Simon is feeling much better now. It is helpful to become familiar with the signs of overheating as this can lead to heatstroke.
Some signs of overheating:
- Heavy panting or rapid breathing
- Excessive thirst
- Glazed eyes
- Vomiting, bloody diarrhea
- Bright or dark red tongue, gums
- Staggering, stumbling
- Elevated body temperature
- Weakness, collapse
- Increased pulse, heartbeat
- Seizures
- Excessive drooling
- Unconciousness
When a dog is overheating is is important to take certain measures quickly. Read more in detail about what to do this article: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/06/24/overheating.aspx