Heat Stress

During heat stress, excessive panting can cause over ventilation leading to high losses of carbon dioxide from the blood. The blood becomes too alkaline and upsets the overall metabolism. Once a dog collapses, even though he may appear to recover, he is likely to have serious, long-term brain damage.

Obviously no dog should be left in a car in hot weather. Dogs have a higher body temperature than our own so it takes less time for them to reach a dangerously high temperature. Leaving windows open and the car in the shade is not enough to guard against problems - the sun moves round and open windows do not guarantee movement of air through the car.

Cooling the dog (internally and externally) is critical, since dogs have so little exposed area from which to sweat. Immersing the dog in cool (not cold) water and getting it to drink will aid recovery but you should obtain veterinary help immediately if you suspect your dog may be suffering from heat stress.