Vancouver animal hospital says it's treating 2 dogs for severe heat stroke

The Comox Valley SPCA are looking after a two-year-old Rottweiler, Momoa, after he was found abandoned at a local dump.

Vancouver -

A Vancouver vet is warning pet parents about the effects of heat on pets as he treats two dogs for severe heat stroke.

Critical care veterinarian Dr. Carsten Bandt of Canada West Veterinary Specialists says that unlike humans, dogs have a limited ability to sweat. As a result, even a short time in a hot environment can result in fatal heat stroke.

“Heat stroke can lead to bleeding, severe hemorrhagic diarrhea, organ failure and death,” he said in a statement.

On Saturday morning, Bandt’s team put out a news release saying the hospital is currently treating two dogs suffering from “severe heat stroke.”

“If it’s too hot for you or if the sidewalk is too hot to touch for a few minutes, it’ll be too hot for your dog as well,” Bandt said.

“Pets depend on owners to keep them safe and now is the time to consider the impact of extreme heat and take the proper precautions.”

Bandt said that heat stress happens quickly. Here’s a list of rules and tips from the clinic.

• Pets should never be left in cars, even for a few minutes.
• Dogs should not be tied up in the sun, should not be walked during the hottest part of the day, and should not be walked on hot pavement.
• Give dogs less exercise overall during a heat wave.
• Take dogs out for walks and plays in the early morning or in the evening when the temperature is lower.
• If it’s cooler inside your home than it is outside, keep dogs indoors.
• Make sure dogs are not confined somewhere where it could get too warm.
• Be aware that some dogs love to lie in the sun, even when they shouldn’t, and then they start panting excessively.
• Be aware that many dogs don’t have the “good sense” to play in the shade instead of the sun.
• Old, large-breed dogs are particularly vulnerable to heat stroke – check for noisy breathing or change in the sound of their bark.
• Some smaller-breed dogs may develop a “honking cough with excitement or with heat,” which can be a sign of a collapsing trachea.