Once again the Hot Dogs research team presented two clinical abstracts at this year’s British Small Animal Veterinary Association’s annual Congress, and we are pleased to be able to share them here.

As the UK temperatures continue to climb, it is essential every dog owner knows how to recognise the signs of heat-related illness, and how to effectively cool their dog in an emergency. Whilst these presentations are aimed at veterinary professionals, we’re making them available here too for anyone who is interested in our work.

ALWAYS seek veterinary advice if you are concerned your dog has developed heat-related illness. Less than half of the dogs that progressed to the severe form survived, so getting effective, early treatment is crucial.

Lots of myths get shared about cooling hot dogs, and sadly there isn’t much published evidence on which cooling methods work best! Our current understanding is that if your dog has overheated, but is still conscious, the most effective methods of cooling are to either immerse them in water (cold tap water is perfect), or wet them (with whatever water you have available) and fan them – air conditioning is perfect if you’re transporting them to the vet. If your dog has overheated and has lost consciousness, it is ESSENTIAL that you protect their airway, and don’t let them inhale any water. Dogs that have lost consciousness will cool far more slowly, so it is even more important to use effective cooling methods, such as spraying with water plus air movement.

Cooling methods used in dogs with heat-related illness under UK primary veterinary care during 2016-2018.

In this presentation, Emily shares the provisional results of our study exploring the cooling methods reported to have been used in the veterinary records of UK dogs presenting to their vet with heat-related illness. We also present the current evidence-base for cooling methods that are available for hot dogs, and discuss the importance of effective cooling.

You can download the abstract text here:

VetCompass Clinical Grading Tool for Heat-related Illness in Dogs – a novel tool to support clinical decision-making in primary-care practice.

In this abstract, Emily introduces our VetCompass Clinical Grading tool, which we hope will allow dog owners and veterinary professionals to recognise heat-related illness earlier, and hopefully support more effective management of this life-threatening condition.

You can download the abstract text here:

The full clinical grading tool is available in our paper, or in infographic form below: