The breeds that most struggle with heat and how to help them.
High temperatures pose a danger, not only to us but also to our dogs because it increases the risk of suffering a heatstroke or hyperthermia.
But differently than us that we have our body covered by sweat glands and sweat to disperse the heat, dogs regulate their body temperature by panting: when a 38°C or 39°C temperature is reached, this mechanism activates. The dog sticks put the tongue and starts to inhale and exhale very rapidly.
Chow chow
It is worth mentioning that, in an extremely hot weather, panting is not always enough and the body temperature increases: hyperthermia can affect any dog, of any breed, size or age, but there are breeds of dogs that, in comparison to others, are more prone to suffer from a heatstroke.
The Chow Chow, English and French Bulldog, Dogo de Bordeaux, Boxer, Cavalier King, Pug, Golden Retriever and Staffordshire Bull Terrier are the breeds considered at a higher risk.
Dogo de Bordeaux
But, why?
If you notice, in this list the majority are brachycephalic or dogs that have particularly short and flattened snouts.
The breeds affected by the so-called brachycephalic syndrome or upper respiratory tract obstruction syndrome are more prone to hyperthermia precisely because of the respiratory difficulties that their conformation causes, as shown by numerous studies.
Cavalier King
When dogs accelerate their respiration, they become slower in movement or worse, they cannot walk, they have red mucous membranes and vomit, they may be in the middle of a heatstroke and it is necessary to immediately intervene and call the vet.
In the meantime, we can transport them to a fresh and ventilated places, wet their ears and limbs with fresh water. Absolutely avoid frozen water or ice cubes.
To avoid inconveniences during the Summer, read again our 5 tips to protect your dogs during Summer.
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