Citation

Flournoy WS, Wohl JS, Macintire DK. Compend. Contin. Educ. Vet. 2003; 25(6): 410-418.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, MediMedia Animal Health)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Heatstroke is a rapidly progressive life-threatening emergency resulting from direct thermal injury to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic, endothelial, musculoskeletal, and central nervous tissues. Thermal injury to cells causes generalized cellular necrosis through denaturization of proteins, inactivation of enzyme systems, destruction of cell membrane lipids, and alteration of mitochondrial function. Heatstroke is precipitated by the collective inability of the body to maintain normal thermoregulation through proper cooling and heat dissipation mechanisms, Classic (or nonexertional) heatstroke most commonly develops when dogs are confined in an overheated enclosure. Exertional heatstroke is associated with muscular activity and is most common in dogs with such predispositions as obesity, laryngeal paralysis, and brachycephalic conformation. Common complications of heatstroke include oliguric renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, cardiac arrhythmias, septic shock, and seizures.

KW: Hyperthermia in automobiles

Language: en