Last year, our big tan greyhound, Gibson went for a walk with me. It was a hot day, so when he pulled back on the leash I did not think much of it because he often would do that, not caring for much of a walk. Then, he started salivating heavily. I turned around, but he could not go on. I put him under the shade of a tree and called for help. We loaded him onto a blanket and carried him to the car, where we gave him water. We rushed to the closest vet emergency clinic about a 20 minute drive, and watched in horror as he turned purple and lay in his diarrhea and vomit. Gibson went fast. If I had been more aware of the danger and signs of heat stroke, I might still have Gibson today.
It is 100+ degrees in our area today, and we are anticipating a fundraiser walkathon tomorrow, so it is a good time to review the facts. I found an excellant article at DogChannel.com:
http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-health/dog-heatstroke-survival-guide.aspx
I plan tomorrow to carry a water spray bottle and I have a cooler which is a dog coat made from material like car shammies with straps to stay in place. There will be many water sources at the walkathon.
