Heat Stress & Heat Stroke
When summer arrives people are told to stay in the cool, drink lots of fluids, and avoid exercising in the heat of the day.
Despite our best efforts, people still tend to be affected, whether by dehydration, lack of sleep, or reduced appetite. But what affect does summer heat have on greyhounds, and what can we do to help them best cope?
Keeping Cool
Probably the biggest difference between us and greyhounds is the different ways in which our bodies work to maintain a stable operating temperature. For humans, body sweat is used to cool our skin, but greyhounds can’t sweat all over like we do, instead only sweating through glands on the pads of their feet and nose. Greyhounds instead rely on evaporative cooling from their respiratory system – panting to move air across wet membranes.
This system of cooling has limitations and has important consequences for the greyhound. Firstly, the evaporation can only occur if the humidity in the air allows it – the higher the humidity the less this system works. So when in a confined space such as a car, trailer or kennel, humidity can increase quickly as evaporated water from the greyhound stays in the air.
The second problem with this sort of cooling is that it can lead to huge losses of body fluids and can alter the acid-base balance in the dog’s blood from the increased amount of oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange in the lungs. These changes are hard to measure because you may not be able to actually see them.
What will you see?
- Heat Stress – panting, salivating, increased heart rate, listlessness, vocalisation/whining
- Heat Stroke – excessive or loud panting, thick saliva, vomiting, diarrhoea, wobbliness, strange behaviour, seizures, collapse, and death
What can you do?
- Stop all exercise
- Move to a shaded area or, ideally, into an air-conditioned area
- Provide plenty of cool, fresh water
- Provide plenty of ventilation to move evaporated fluid away and to drop the humidity levels
- Gently cool the greyhound – they can lay on wet towels, be wiped down or hosed with cool water. Make sure if you are using wet towels or ‘Cooling Coats’ that they feel cool to touch and that there is a breeze or ventilation as these methods rely on evaporation for their cooling effects too – if they dry out or there is no ventilation then it’s similar to wearing a blanket or rug.
- Avoid using iced water on the greyhound’s body as this can cause the blood vessels in the skin to contract, which will slow the cooling process down because the hot blood is no longer coming to the surface where it can lose heat. Iced water can be used on the feet though, and covered ice packs can be placed in between the dog’s thighs and in their ‘arm-pits’.
What if I think a greyhound is moving into heat stroke?
Heat stroke is more serious as there can be delayed complications due to organ damage. The priority is to lower the body temperature quickly, but care has to be taken not to cause hypothermia (too cold) in the process. Any dog with a rectal temperature over 41.6 degrees is considered dangerously hot.
These dogs need to be taken to the vet immediately, where cold intravenous fluids and cool water enemas can be done. The vet can also monitor for complications and give medications to aid in preventing some of the consequences of a body temperature that’s too high – such as brain swelling and shock.
Finally, monitor your greyhounds closely for the longer-term effects of hot weather. You need to be watching food intake, water intake, body weight and coat condition.
Meet our dogs ready for adoption
All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.
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Falco
Echo ARP
Can you hear an Echo? Its saying “Hey you! I’m ready to be adopted, adopted, adopted…..”. Ok enough with the cheesy jokes. But seriously, this girl is a super sweet, personable, quiet, polite and a little sprinkle of puppy. She can be a little shy in new environments, but she soon relaxes and shows her charm. We think she may suit living in a home with children 10 and over and possibly with a play buddy of any size as long as they are willing to play with a greyhound. We also think she may suit living with full timeworkers.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.
Izzy ARP
How pretty is this little girl! Izzy is a sweet and personable girl that can be a little unsure and shy in new environments. She may take sometime coming out of her shell in her new home but once she is apart of the family we think she will thrive. A home with children 10 and over and respectful of boundaries may be ok and another male dog of any size. A place with an outdoor area for her to relax in will be ideal for her as she comes out of her shell. This lovely dog is not suitable for a home with cats.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.
Reindeer ARP
She may not be leading Santa’s sleigh like Rudolf but this quiet achiever is still just as important! She is a shy girl that we think will come out of her shell in a home that understands she just needs time to learn how to be a pet and patience to go at her pace. A quieter home with children 15 and over that are respectful of her boundaries maybe ok and somewhere with a nice yard that she can go and relax in. She may also benefit from a male friend that is medium or larger to help her transition into pet life. This lovely dog is not suitable for a home with cats.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.
Britney ARP
Britney ARP is a super sweet little lady who can be a little shy when she first meets you but comes out of her shell quickly. She is super quiet and easy to be around and may suit living with children aged 10years and over. She may suit living in a home with or without another medium or large canine companion. This lovely dog is not suitable for a home with cats.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.
Jess
Owen
Bing ARP
Bing is a lovely friendly, personable boy who can have a soft side at times. He tries his hardest to please, but sometimes he can get a little overwhelmed. He would benefit from a family who can build his confidence up and show him that the world isn't such a scary place. He would prefer to live in a quiet home in a quiet neighbourhood. He may be happy to live with a calm, polite dog of any size, though he may also be happy living as an only dog. Bing may be happy living with children aged 10 years and over. This lovely dog is not suitable for a home with cats.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.