EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

If your bulldog has a heat stroke how long does it take them to  recover and do thier ever fully recover or are they like humans screwed for rest of thier life's ??? Just curious my buddy's bulldog fell out on us and we are Purdy sure he had a heat stroke but aren't forsure because he didn't walk that far and it was only 65 degrees . But any info would help us out thanks alot

If he had a heat stroke it will most likely effect him for the rest of his life.  He will get hotter sooner and will recover more slowly each time.  If he had one in this cool weather aint no telling what is going to happen when it gets hot .

I agree. From 1st hand experience my Macho bulldog(really just my yard dog) had a major heat stroke on a 95 or so degree day. I was mowing that day-he hates lawn mowers-and about 15-20 min of him barking and me being too busy to notice, he was just laying down breathing with all he had to give. I got him on a piece of plywood-soaked him for 30 min with water hose-and no change in his fight to keep every breath going....I took him to the vet (a very long 45 min drive in which he started to have seizures). The second they saw him they gave him pain med to calm nerves, IV's and all that for half a day. They kept him overnight and it costed me about $600. I do believe if I had not got him there he would have not survived

Now he seems more sensitive to heat. If its 70 degrees or more he stays in the shade and we sometimes turn on a water sprinkler at his connivence. We  keep all activity down so he just relaxes...this was prob 3 yrs ago and it definitely changed his way of living...

Keep a bottle of pediolite with you and give it to them and the colder the better it will cool down all of his organs faster and it being pediolite will replenish his electolytes faster. My bulldog had a heat stroke about a year ago and I immediately took his vest off and put him in a creek and gave him pediolite and he was fine within 10 minutes. I didn't hunt him for about a week and then when we did go it never bothered him. I have also started walking all of my dogs on a treadmill every day to build up there stamina and it has made a huge difference

This right here ^

Yeah that's what I told my buddy I was afraid of that . Well thanks for the info if yall know anyone trying sell a finished catch dog or a strait catch cur dog let me know I'm very interested for sure now. Thanks alot

There was a blood hound female at TDC that had a heat stroke after tracking an abducted child 24 miles down the highway in the heat of the summer. It affected her in every way you can as far as her usefulness. The dog was laid up for 2 1/2 years if I remember correctly and gave her a lot of tlc. They started her back slowly and eventually back into rotation. BUT... they tried to be selective about the jobs they used her for. I don't think she was ever 100% her old self but even at 75% of her old self gave you a tremendous dog.

Heatstroke is known to cause irreversible damage indeed.

We've had dogs come in that actually lost vision because of it, and in a worst case scenario, one dog became paralyzed in his rear. A lot of folks don't even realize how much damage can be done. In most cases, our dogs don't know when they've had enough, until they're already collapsing, at which point in's an emergency. It's also dangerous to cool them down TOO fast. We gotta watch our dogs closely. I always carry a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol. You can spray their ears, and the pads of their feet and that will help cool them pretty quick in a dire situation.

Our catch dog had a heat stroke last year.  The owner then, (he took great care of her, she just got away from him and got deep in the woods and caught a hog) got to her, took care of the hog, took her vest off and laid her in a creek.  She came back too and laid there for quite some time.  Now she over heats pretty easy, but I started giving her Gatorade before and after catches, and it seems to help quite a bit.  After a catch, I always take her vest off, and give her a bowl of it, and she cools right back down.  So far we haven't seen any huge side effects from it, but she is still young.  Hopefully it doesn't effect her to the point we have to quit hunting her, she is a great catch dog and loves to go. 

Getting them as fit as possible and not overweight makes a huge difference.  Get them as cool as quickly as possible, e.g. wet a rag in the cooler water and lay it over them, get cooling on the belly and inside of the legs.  Also helps to wet them and take them for a drive in the truck - gets cool air across them. IF they are severely dehydrated inject some saline solution under the skin (70-100ml in 4-5 spots) will help a lot and possibly save a life.