My dog is sick after a hot walk. Is it heat exhaustion? What to do?

If you have a thermometer you can take her temperature to check if she is overheated. You can lubricate the thermometer with vaseline/ky jelly/ or similar lubricant and insert about an inch into the rectum. If her temperature is over 102.5 then it is high. If she is acting lethargic and not eating or drinking well then these symptoms are concerning and should be investigated by a vet. There are many possibilities for these symptoms because they are so general. The vet may be able to narrow down causes with an exam, or they may need to do bloodwork on your dog for a better idea of the cause. If her temperature is high then she could have a fever or if it is very warm in your house could be suffering from heat stroke. You have done the right thing bathing her in cool water and providing a fan but she still needs to see a vet because there can be long term consequences such as severe GI irritation and infection if a dog has suffered heat stroke.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, it is very common for a pet to vomit, & even develop diarrhea for a day or so after becoming overheated. If Charlie is ill, he should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Heat exhaustion can be fatal if it is severe enough, & especially if the body temperature approaches or goes over 108 F. I hope he is doing well soon.

If you walked MehMeh for a long distance in hot weather, then she may be suffering from heat stroke. This is a deadly problem in dogs, and can easily be caused in brachycephalic dogs due to their shortened muzzles. This is a medical emergency and she needs veterinary attention now. Dogs too often die from heat stroke, and the symptoms you described are indication of it. This is a medical emergency, please take her into a vet now.

If it's really hot where you are, I'd be concerned that Naughty is suffering from heatstroke. Heatstroke is extremely deadly, and requires an immediate vet visit. It could also be she got into something toxic causing her symptoms. From your description, it sounds like to me she is quite ill and I feel she needs to see a vet now. Please bring her into one right away.

If your dog had been exercising or out in the heat it is possible his temperature could have increased due to this, but 104.1 is a pretty high temperature if you feel it was truly an accurate reading. We can see dogs temperatures get that high if they are really hot/excited/stressed and they are overweight or brachycephalic (smoosh faced) but I am concerned that his energy level was decreased. If he still doesn't seem himself tomorrow then I would bring him in for an exam. If overnight his temperature gets very high again, or he becomes weak, has trouble breathing, or his gums become pale in color or he starts having other symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea then I would consider bringing him in to the emergency vet.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Symptoms of heat stroke are usually apparent within a few hours from exposure to high ambient temperature. The most common symptoms are lethargy, weakness, panting and vomiting. Development heat stress symptoms 6-8hrs after a walk is rather unlikely but definitely possible. Ideally you should to take Maisie's temperature (human thermometer is fine, but it has to be measured in the rectum) and if it is above 104F, it will be heat stress. In that case you should cool her down and take her to your local vets.

Yes, I would be worried Blitz hasn't been himself. Heat stroke is a deadly disease in dogs that occurs when they become overheated, and that can lead to the rapid panting and vomiting. The scary part of heat stroke is that there is a lot of internal damage done to the organs from heat stroke, such as death of liver cells, rapid heartbeat, acute kidney failure, irregular heartbeat, and blood clotting disorders among many others. I think given that he was panting rapidly and vomiting yesterday and now is acting out of character that a vet visit would be best. Just to check him over to make sure he is ok. Please take him into an ER vet: if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. I hope this helps!