My Saint Bernard is panting and drooling after walk. Is it heatstroke?

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.

Heat stroke in dogs is characterized by drooling, reddened gums, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, ataxia (wobbly gait) or even collapse. Any combination of these symptoms should be addressed immediately by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER. That said, some dogs do not do well in the heat. These dogs should be kept indoors and have a supply of fresh water available. Exercise or activity outdoors should be limited to just leash walks for elimination.

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I don;t think panting for a few seconds is considered heat stroke. Huskies are arctic breeds and are very susceptible to the heat. Keep him indoors during the hot, humid days. You could take his temperature if worried. Use a digital thermometer rectally. Normal temperature is 99-102. I would consider 104 or higher potentially heat stroke. I hope this helps! Good luck!

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.

It could be from the heat but i can't know for sure, if he is very lethargic you must take him to the vet right away, if he suffers from heat stroke it can be fatal within several hours if left untreated.

These signs are very concerning for a heat injury. I recommend Joey go to the nearest open veterinary clinic as soon as possible as heat injury can lead to organ failure, bleeding and shock if not treated promptly.