It’s summertime, and for those of us traveling, sometimes we seek out places to soak up the sun. However, when we bring along our canine companions, heat stroke is something we need to be aware of. Heat stroke is when your dog’s core body temperature rises from a normal 100-102 degrees to 106-109 degrees. Heat stroke is life-threatening, and can cause tissue necrosis, sepsis, and death. It occurs in hot and/or humid environments, where dogs don’t have water and/or shade. It can also occur when your dog is more active, like when hiking. One especially dangerous place is the car or RV–it gets hot in a car very quickly in the summer. This chart indicates how quickly the temperature of a vehicle can increase.
Elapsed Time
Outside Air Temperature (F)
| 0 minutes | 70 | 75 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 95 |
| 10 minutes | 89 | 94 | 99 | 104 | 109 | 114 |
| 20 minutes | 99 | 104 | 109 | 114 | 119 | 124 |
| 30 minutes | 104 | 109 | 114 | 119 | 124 | 129 |
| 40 minutes | 108 | 113 | 118 | 123 | 128 | 133 |
| 50 minutes | 111 | 116 | 121 | 126 | 131 | 136 |
| 60 minutes | 113 | 118 | 123 | 128 | 133 | 138 |
| >1 hour | 115 | 120 | 125 | 130 | 135 | 140 |
Having adequate cooling in your RV is something you need to consider before you hit the road. Inevitably you will want to do something that is not dog-friendly, whether that is grocery shopping, eating indoors at a restaurant, or running errands. RVs as a rule are not well-insulated, and they don’t cool as well with an AC as a house will. There is also the big concern that most RVs require shore power (being “plugged in”) to have enough electricity to run the AC. This means you have to trust that the power at your RV park isn’t going to go out or have a power surge if you are leaving your dog behind. It also means that leaving your dog in the RV between stops on the road may not be an option. There are temperature monitors that can send you alerts available, which I recommend for anyone traveling with pets — I’ll discuss these and what we ended up doing for cooling when we built our Class B RV in a future article.
Any dog is susceptible to heat stroke, because as a rule, dogs stink at cooling themselves. They rely on evaporative cooling via panting, which can be inefficient, especially in humid conditions (like the Gulf Coast). Senior dogs and puppies are not as good at thermoregulating so may be more susceptible. Obese dogs, as well as brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds, are also predisposed to heat stroke.
Signs of heat stroke include panting, weakness, stumbling or falling over, and collapse. Vomiting or diarrhea may also occur. If you are worried about heat stroke, check your dog’s temperature (if you can do it quickly). Heat stroke is a strong possibility if your dog’s temperature is over 105 degrees. The biggest problem isn’t how high the temperature gets, but how LONG it stays there, so quickly cooling your dog before seeking immediate medical care is crucial.
Heat stroke is an emergency, and time is of the essence. To help your dog survive heat stroke, do the following:
1. Dunk your dog in cool (not freezing/ice) water. Focus on the feet, belly, chest, and perineal areas. Ice packs and ice water are not recommended, as they will cause the peripheral vessels in the skin to constrict, and may inhibit cooling. Using alcohol on the pads is also somewhat controversial–some no longer recommend this practice.
2. Get your dog in the car, crank up the AC to full blast. Do not put a wet towel on their back—that may prevent cooling.
3. Drive to the nearest emergency clinic.
Additional cooling will be performed at the Emergency Clinic. Your dog may receive IV fluids to help correct dehydration, and bloodwork to determine if he’s having any organ damage or clotting problems. Whether your dog will need additional therapies will depend on the severity of the incident.
To prevent heat stroke:
- Exercise your dog in the morning or evening, not in the middle of the day.
- Make sure your dog has access to water and give him breaks for a drink.
- Choose a shady hike along a creek or lake to allow them them to cool themselves as needed.
- Listen to your dog–if he’s starting to lag behind, laying down, or heading for shade, it’s time for a break.
- Don’t leave your dog alone in a car or RV on a warm day.
- Consider using a temperature monitor in your RV as a backup system.
