Heat Strokes and Electrolyte Supplements

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AK Zach
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Heat Strokes and Electrolyte Supplements

Postby AK Zach » Sun Oct 11, 2015 5:17 pm

I wanted to do an informative thread for a while now after seeing and hearing about several heat strokes and thought heat strokes and deaths in both hounds and sled dogs.

A lot of people have been giving dogs electrolyte supplements for before races, after long races etc. This can be a great tool if used properly. However, the majority people do not know how to use these supplements properly. This includes pet stores, internet vendors, and human meant supplements such as Gatorade and pedialyte.

I will try to put this in layman's terms as much as I can:

The kidneys and hormones regulate electrolyte levels in the body. All living creatures including humans and dogs naturally produce electrolytes. Electrolytes are responsible for many things inside a body: keeping it hydrated, repairing tissue, blood pressure levels, and proper nerve and muscle function.

The problems I am seeing with these supplements are that people are giving too often, or at the wrong times. This does several things:
A) the more electrolytes you (or your dog) intake, the less the body will naturally produce. I.e. If you drink pleasure drink Gatorade every single day, your body will quit producing proper natural electrolyte levels. Which can lead to several health problems.
B) older dogs kidneys seem to not be working as well as younger dogs just as older humans kidneys aren't quite as strong and working as well as a teenagers. This can make it even harder to properly filter and regulate these levels if given too much at the wrong time or imbalance already exists.

Things that naturally cause improper electrolyte levels, and WHEN TO GIVE THESE SUPPLEMENTS:
A) severe dehydration (after a MUCH LONGER THAN NORMAL RUN)
B) excessive vomiting/diarrhea
C) if taking medicine that has dehydrating tendencies, such as Benadryl
D) sudden increase in outdoor temperature (NOT just because it's hot outside this week or month, but more like holy cow it went from 70 all week to 85-90 today and I'm supposed to go hunting. It's best to acclimate your dogs to this rather than try to offset with electrolytes through gradual increase of exertion in the heat, however I know that we can't always do this).

There are two things that can happen with electrolyte imbalances:
-hypernatremia
-hyponatremia

HYPERnatremia is when there are too many electrolytes in the body. The major symptom with HYPERnatremia that you won't find with HYPOnatremia is THIRST. Your dog will be thirsty. The body will also try to get rid of too many electrolytes by vomiting and diarrhea. This often indicates too many electrolyte supplements or problems with kidneys.

HYPOnatremia is just the opposite, or too little. Symptoms will include heat stroke, vomiting, extreme fatigue OR restlessness, irritability, confusion, cramps, and muscle spasms and weakness.

PLEASE NOTICE THAT VOMITING AND DIARRHEA ARE PRESENT WITH BOTH. you must look past these to further diagnose your dog. Often times either will seem like a heat stroke, during extreme exertion.

IT IS IMPERITIVE THAT YOU DO NOT TREAT HYPERNATREMIA(too many electrolytes) with these supplements. The symptoms can and will be VERY SIMILAR TO HEAT STROKE and that will be the first thing you will want to do. If you are or have been giving your dog these supplements before, or our dog has kidney problems, this is the more likely culprit. At this point you will be super overdosing the body with electrolytes, which can be, and often times is fatal.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE OR UNCOMFORATBLE WITH MAKING A DETERMINATION YOURSELF OF WHICH YOUR DOG HAS, SEEK A VET IMMEDIATELY.

Just like people, after dogs have one heat stroke the chances increase for another about 75%.

If giving dogs these supplements, I recommend giving half directed doses except in severe cases. Also diluting Gatorade and Pedialyte with half water. This will keep the body's natural ability to produce electrolytes functioning properly.

In summary the big picture is to use at your own discretion. If understood and used properly these supplements can be a valuable tool for your dog, but one must beware of the risks that can come with it.
Fireman03
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Re: Heat Strokes and Electrolyte Supplements

Postby Fireman03 » Wed Oct 28, 2015 2:43 am

I was hunting a couple weeks back and we had a dog go down with heat stroke. We ended up having a vet with us that showed me a new trick to help fight heat stroke once it happens. He takes rubbing alcohol. .just the normal 70% and pours it down the dogs back and neck and then soaks their paws in it. This cools the dog off much faster especially with a breeze. I now carry a jug in my med kit.
pegleg
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Re: Heat Strokes and Electrolyte Supplements

Postby pegleg » Wed Oct 28, 2015 3:56 pm

Where are you guys seeing heatstroke the most? I wonder if new winter coats and hard runs don't combine to make this more of a issue. I tend to see it more in the spring when the ground is warming up and the air is still cool. Then you get a hard run later in the morning and its suddenly very hot. Blessings of the desert
Fireman03
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Re: Heat Strokes and Electrolyte Supplements

Postby Fireman03 » Wed Oct 28, 2015 4:03 pm

I've seen it early fall when the Temps are fluctuating alot.

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