With the promise of summer only a few months away, now would be a good time to remember that rising temperatures means that pet parents need to be aware of how easily their dogs can get heatstroke.
Remember the 2016 story of four-year-old French bulldog Henry. Owner Courtney Rogers, and her mother Debbie, lost one of their dogs to heatstroke. The pair thought they’d done the right thing by waiting until after 6 pm in order to take the French bulldog and his doggie sibling, staffie Capone, out for a walk. At the time, the temperatures for the day were around 86 degrees Fahrenheit, so they waited till the temperatures cooled down a bit and packed up some water before setting out. They even tested the concrete with their hands to make sure that the sidewalk wouldn’t burn their paws.
However, 10 minutes into the walk, Henry was showing symptoms of overheating.
Courtney later posted a warning on Facebook which went viral.
“After having large drinks from his water, the panting only got worse, to the point where his chest was rattling, and he was plonking himself down in any shade he could find, refusing to move,” she shared.
The mother and daughter duo got a family member to pick them up and drive them home where they attempted to cool down Henry using the hose and wet towels.
When their attempts were proving futile, they rushed Henry to the emergency vet. Unfortunately, the little bulldog began to convulse with seizures. overnight, the seizures got worse and he began to vomit blood. Then, early the next morning, he passed away.
Courtney shared, “The reason I have decided to share this, gruesome details included, is to not only convey how distraught I am but to warn everyone who has a dog. Before taking my dogs for a walk, we waited until the evening so it was much cooler than midday. We took a special doggy water bottle with an attachable bowl on it and even checked to see if the pavement was cool enough for Henry and Capone to walk on. But even taking these precautions, it still didn’t help Henry.”
She also shared that a nurse had told her three other dogs had also died from heatstroke.
Courtney added, “I can’t bring Henry back – Capone has lost his little brother and is currently grieving, as the rest of us are. But this post can warn and potentially save other dogs, save other families from experiencing what we are.”
So, with summer only months away, keep this in mind and share it with the other dog owners in your life.
