As we rush toward the comfort of air conditioning during hot weather, we should not forget our pets and their sensitivity to heat -- not only for their comfort, but for their health. Heat stroke is a very serious and often fatal disease that occurs when an animal's cooling mechanisms cannot keep up and their body temperature elevates beyond 105-106 degrees. Cells and proteins in the body are sensitive to excess heat. When they are damaged, they can lead to conditions that include kidney failure, brain damage, heart arrhythmias, liver failure, muscle damage, systemic inflammation and excessive blood clotting.
Since animals do not sweat (except to a minor degree through their foot pads), they do not tolerate high environmental temperatures as well as humans do. Dogs depend upon panting to exchange warm air for cool air. When the air temperature is close to body temperature, cooling by panting is not an efficient process. Cats differ from dogs in that cats that are open mouth breathing or panting are showing signs of serious stress and need immediate veterinary care. With a cat, panting is never a sign of the animal just trying to cool down.
Common situations that can set the stage for heat stroke in animals include:
Being left in a car in hot weather, even with cracked windows and in the shade
Exercising strenuously in hot, humid weather
Suffering from a heart or lung disease that interferes with efficient breathing
Suffering from a high fever or seizures
Being confined on concrete or asphalt surfaces
Being confined without shade and fresh water in hot weather
Having a history of heat stroke
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Heat stroke in animals