Over Heating, heavy panting

Jungerland

New member
Jul 31, 2011
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Hello,

Today I had my first actual scare of Winston(1 year 4 months old) over heating and having a potential heat stroke. I am very cautious with him over exerting himself while playing with his ball or frisbee. But today he played a little too hard.

What happened was he was panting harder than I have ever seen him before, his tongue actually turned a pale purple/bluish color and I knew that this was not good. What I will usually do is make sure he has water readily available and give him ice cubes to try to cool him down. But today he was breathing so hard he wouldnt drink or take the ice cubes. What I did was bring him in the garage because the cement slab is nice and cool for him and he likes to lay there in the shade. I dumped water on his neck and he layed on the cement. Thankfully he eventually cooled down and regained color in his tongue and ended up drinking and cooling down.

What I am asking is for what tips, tricks or things you do to cool off your Bully???

P.S. last summer when he was a puppy I had a bandana with gel like stuff in it that you would freeze and wrap around his neck, that seemed to help a bit.

But what products or types of things do you do to make sure your bully stays cool in the summer and doesn't over heat when playing in the summer??

Thanks
 

JAKEISGREAT

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Mar 25, 2011
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:ohmy: that sounds serious! Remember poor Bullys can overheat and die during what isn't really considered real hot days. there is a wonderful article here on Bulldogs and the heat! If you ever see Winston repeat this, remember a hose works wonders! Last year I bought cooling vests for my dogs. They are made of tiny little beads that when soaked swell up. You put the vest in fridge and it holds the coolness for a couple of hours. We had to use iit when we lost our air conditioner on a 100 degree day! Helped a lot! I also have cooling bandanas.

http://www.englishbulldognews.com/forums/content.php?r=246-An-important-reminder-about-bulldogs-heat

Heres the link to the article..great info here!
 
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2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Jul 28, 2011
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We always have the hose at hand when they play outside even on nice spring days, because what is nice for us is still ht for them
 

mygirlsmomma

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Feb 14, 2012
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Well this summer (our 1st w/ Ellie) should be interesting I will have to be on the look out with her. She is such a little heat monster- always on the heat vent in winter, and she will lay in the sun (inside) sleeping until she gets so hot she moves and flops down in the shade. I just had to bring her inside on our 1st real nice day here in the Pac NW and she didn't want to get out of the sun! Little brat! Ice cubes are awesome!! But I wil be getting a kiddie pool for her soon!
 
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Jungerland

Jungerland

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Jul 31, 2011
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Yes thats one more thing we have for Winston, a kiddie pool available for him to cool off. I have tried spraying him with the hose before but he runs from it when I start spraying him.

I will have to look into the vests.
 

Chapin04

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May 11, 2012
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Spike
Last summer ( I live in TX) my son let Spike out to use the restroom and completely forgot about him. When I got home from work I noticed he was gone. My gate doesn't close well in the summer because the ground gets so dry frOm the heat. We looked for about 3 hours and I was sure someone had probably picked him up. I found him 5 streets over panting and drooling in someone's porch his belly was also red. I. Took him home and put him in my shower with cold water and rubbed him with ice. Then I put a fan on him. After about 1 hour he started to look normal. It was my biggest scare with him


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

mygirlsmomma

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Feb 14, 2012
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Oh yikes!!!!! How scary! I'm finding out that these dogs are very much like small children!!!!! Constant supervision. If only we could all work from home!
 

ChanelnBrutus

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Feb 6, 2012
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So glad everything is well! This will be our first summer with Brutus but for the last 2 months we have limited our time outside...Its only maybe 73 but the sun is hot and when he plays he goes hard! I have to sometimes bring him out on the leash to get him back inside after potty b/c he runs away to stay outside :bang:

We do have a fence so I just have to chase him through the backyard! Huh and you know he doesnt care if I overheat from chasing him :laugh:
 
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Davidh

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You got very lucky he did not die on you. Playing in the heat is dangerous for bullies. We will only let them play outside in the early morning or late evening when it cools down. Some days it is still too hot the play outside so they don't, we play inside. The cool vest do work and the cool collars work as well. Just have to be extremely careful in the summer.
 

MamaAndi

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Nov 20, 2011
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I'm glad your boy is okay!

In the summer we only go outside to go potty and I stand out there and tell them to go. Probably 5 minutes tops. We let them go out after dark if it cools off but that's about it. The rest of the time they hang out with the fan blowing or park it right in front of the ac vent. Make sure they are drinking plenty of water in the summer too...just like people they can dehydrate.
 

JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Jake
Last summer ( I live in TX) my son let Spike out to use the restroom and completely forgot about him. When I got home from work I noticed he was gone. My gate doesn't close well in the summer because the ground gets so dry frOm the heat. We looked for about 3 hours and I was sure someone had probably picked him up. I found him 5 streets over panting and drooling in someone's porch his belly was also red. I. Took him home and put him in my shower with cold water and rubbed him with ice. Then I put a fan on him. After about 1 hour he started to look normal. It was my biggest scare with him


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Wow....he used up all his extra :bully: lives! You are sooo very lucky.
 

Vicaroo1000

"Slug Assassin" and PBS Gardening Dweeb
Jun 23, 2011
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Beefeater's Buxom Beatrice and Lord Harrington's Bodacious Beauregaard
Well this summer (our 1st w/ Ellie) should be interesting I will have to be on the look out with her. She is such a little heat monster- always on the heat vent in winter, and she will lay in the sun (inside) sleeping until she gets so hot she moves and flops down in the shade. I just had to bring her inside on our 1st real nice day here in the Pac NW and she didn't want to get out of the sun! Little brat! Ice cubes are awesome!! But I wil be getting a kiddie pool for her soon!

Bo is like that too. He LOVES to lay on the heater vents. He's also not smart enough to come out of the sun when he gets too warm. Yesterday, I had to MAKE him come in as he was laying by the pool - not in the pool -, directly in the sun and panting; short little pants. He refuses to sit in the shade or in the shady little area on the front porch. Refuses. Ugh. So I know your pain~!

[MENTION=2920]Jungerland[/MENTION] - I admit....I might be hyper vigilant about this - but I don't care. EBs can overheat in a VERY short time and not even playing - just sitting. A guy I knew from work had his EB die on the back seat of the car while traveling cross country. This man was an experienced EB owner and was taking all the possible precautions he had at his disposal - but he did not have air conditioning in the mid west in the middle of summer. Stupid guy.
 
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Jungerland

Jungerland

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Jul 31, 2011
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[MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] Yes, after yesterdays scare I am going to take every precaution to make sure Winston stays cool in the summer and on warm days. It was my mistake yesterday and I feel awful, it was a definite wake up call.
 

Vicaroo1000

"Slug Assassin" and PBS Gardening Dweeb
Jun 23, 2011
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Mukilteo, Washington State
Bulldog(s) Names
Beefeater's Buxom Beatrice and Lord Harrington's Bodacious Beauregaard
[MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] Yes, after yesterdays scare I am going to take every precaution to make sure Winston stays cool in the summer and on warm days. It was my mistake yesterday and I feel awful, it was a definite wake up call.

The good news, my friend, is that other folks are also reading this --- those lurkers! ha ha --- and surely heeding our warnings too. Your experience is helping someone else not have to face this very preventable tragedy. So thank you. :hug:
 

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