Emergency vets have issued a plea to dog owners to avoid exercising their pets during the hottest part of the day, warning the average survival rate of a dog diagnosed with heat stroke is only 50%, and can be fatal in as little as 15 minutes. The warning comes after the Met Office issues a three-day heat alert for parts of the UK as temperatures are set to rocket to 34C.
Vets Now clinics up and down the country are braced to see an influx in heat stroke admissions as our pets grapple with temperatures which are set to soar into the 30’s in some parts of the country. Vets say it’s safe to take your dog for a walk at cooler parts of the day as long as they are well-hydrated.
However, external temperatures above 20C put your dog at risk of heat stroke, an illness that occurs when dogs are no longer able to self-regulate and keep their body temperature down. Many of the most severe emergency cases seen by vets are caused by dogs exercising too vigorously in the middle of the day when temperatures are at their highest.
