Ensuring Your Dog’s Safety: Preventing Heat Exhaustion and Hypothermia During Hunting Season

We all know, I hope, the signs of heat exhaustion and how to prevent it. Now the hunting season is approaching we need to make sure that our dogs do not get overheated. This can happen in many ways, whilst your dog is working or even travelling.
Make sure when travelling with your dogs that if you crate them, that the crate only holds one dog, do not under any circumstances be tempted to put more into a crate than it was made for. Be sure to check your dogs regularly, water them and exercise them. Cramming too many into a crate with result in possible death of one or more.

When working your dog watch it carefully, if it starts to become wobbly, disorientated or excessive panting please stop immediately. The best way to cool your dog off is to have wet towels to hand, never put freezing cold water on the dog as this will lead to shock. Get the dog out of the immediate heat, cover with cool wet towels. This is a life-threatening situation and you need to get your dog to the vets immediately. Prevention is always better than cure and correct husbandry will stop this happening in the first place, know your dog and watch it carefully.

Hypothermia

Dogs can also suffer with hypothermia, symptoms vary but please be aware. Mild hypothermia is evident by the dog shivering, becoming weak and losing mental awareness. Hypothermia in its severest form shows as muscle stiffness, shallow breathing, low blood pressure and becoming catatonic.
This is life threating also. If unfortunately, your dog is suffering from this, wrap your dog in warm blankets, get him out of the immediate cold. Check your dogs temperature, if it is below 98 degrees seek immediate veterinary assistance.
Check your dogs temperature every ten minutes until it reaches normal.