What to do if your dog gets heatstroke in extreme weather

In case you've been relaxing inside your house blasting the A/C the past couple days, you might not have noticed that it's hot out all over the country, with temps ini some areas climbing well over 100 degrees. 

Worrying about yourself and your loved ones during insanely high temperatures is already a lot to handle, but don't forget about your four-legged friend who can easily suffer from heatstroke. 

It's tough to know when your dog has had too much time outside, but luckily they will show us signs that they are overheated or suffering from heatstroke, according to PetMD. 

One of the biggest signs that a dog is overheating is extreme panting. Sure, dogs pant a lot when they are tired or hot (it's how they eliminate heat), but if your dog is panting a lot and showing signs of discomfort, like not moving around, it's time for them to come inside. 

Here are some signs to look for.

• Drooling
• Reddened gums
• Vommiting
• Diarrhea
• Loses consciousness

 If you think your dog is suffering from heatstroke (or it passed out from the heat already), PetMD recommends that you get the dog cooled off immediately. If you have a bathtub, put the dog inside it and run cool water over its body to help drop its temperature. Wrapping it in cool, wet towels is also a great alternative if you don't have a tub. 

You'll want to call an emergency vet and plan on bringing the dog in. The vet will most likely try to replace lost fluids and minerals, and monitor the dog's health for problems that could arise from heatstroke. 

Luckily, heatstroke is easily preventable if you're being a responsible pet owner. That means not leaving them outside in extreme temperatures for long periods of time, not leaving them in cars when it's hot out with the windows closed ever and make sure they always have access to shade and water when playing outside. 

Thinking about how hot temperatures might affect your dog during extreme heat may be the last thing on your brain during a busy week or event-filled weekend, but taking these simple steps to insure your pooch is cool, calm and collected will save you a very costly trip to the vet in the future.