A Droitwich vet is warning residents of the danger of letting pets overheat during the summer months after she was unable to save the life of a beloved dog.
Miriam Lodewyks, of Barstow and Gibbs Veterinary Surgeons, is urging pet owners to keep their animals cool during hot weather after one of her clients brought Milly into the surgery after she suffered a heat stroke.
The dog had been tearing around in the sunshine on Thursday (July 21) and her owner had left her in the garden to cool down after a tiring day.
Unfortunately there was no shade in the garden, only the grass and hot slabs. When the owner checked on her pet she found her barely conscious, gasping for air with her tongue a shade of purple.
Miriam said: “Panting was not enough to cool her down and her core body temperature rose slowly to 42.5 degrees celsius.
“A mere four hours after her walk, Milly’s owners found her collapsed and losing consciousness due to heat-stroke.
“We tried to resuscitate Milly, but it became apparent that she had suffered irreversible brain damage and we decided to let her go.
“So please remember- it’s not only in hot cars that dogs die of the heat, though they die a lot faster.
“Be sensible – ensure your dog has cold water, shade and a cool floor to lie on after a walk on a warm day.
“Or get the hosepipe out and give them a good soaking”
