Anyone else have a dog that is really heat sensitive...am very concerned - YorkieTalk.com Forums

cinnamonmon · 04-26-2009, 07:16 PM

My Cinnamon is overweight...I will admit that...she weighs about 10 lbs...she doesnt look fat but Ive been told she should lose about 2 lbs.. I know weight would make her heat sensitive somewhat, but actually she has been like this always. (she is 4 yrs old) In fact, I have taken her to the vet several times thinking there must be something wrong. In fact, I got a second opinion and expensive bloodwork ($200) just to make sure there was nothing I was missing. (that was last summer, I think)
She pants even after a block of walking and then cant seem to cool down afterwards even when back in the air conditioning. I ended up giving her a cool rinse after our walk everyday last year. Our weather turned this weekend...we went from the 50s to the mid 80s and she has been miserable. Our central air is broken so even with fans she seems so uncomfortable. Not only panting, but not eating as well, and eating grass when we take our walks.
I am tempted to take her in again to the vet, but as everyone else in this day and age, money is short and I have overeacted so many times with this dog. I would do anything for my baby and I hate seeing her miserable.
I have tried to google this subject and Yorkies are not a breed none to over heat , but has anyone esel dealt with this? Thanks

Mum · 04-26-2009, 07:53 PM

our Abbey is 9 months old...she cant stand the HEAT..when we're by our pool..she fins shade and lays there panting.
bring her in and she pants herself to sleep! on walks she's eating grass...Im dreading this summer!

Wylie's Mom · 04-26-2009, 07:55 PM

What she checked for? She should probably see an endocrinologist; or, at least do bloodwork for thyroid. This just doesn't sound right.

emilyann · 04-26-2009, 07:59 PM

Lilly is like this too but not to the extremes you mentioned. I think a lot of Lilly's is just wanting attention but that's just because of the situations it happens in.

Good luck, I hope you find the answers you're looking for

Erin · 04-26-2009, 09:52 PM

Loki was hot on Friday when it was 80. Hopefully you can get your AC fixed because that will help. I have found that my pups do not do well with sudden temp changes. They do fine in 10 degree weather in February but shiver for days the first time it hits 40 in October. They do not enjoy the first few weeks of heat but slowly adapt and by August they are fine as long as we avoid the hottest part of the day. Sammy is less affected but she is not overweight like he is. A short haircut will help too! Mine get shaved next week.

We had Loki's thyroid checked and it was only like $60 so if that's what it could be, at least it isn't extremely expensive.

bluefaith · 04-27-2009, 03:54 PM

My Rexy was the same way...here in NY this past Saturday it went up to 88 degress and we took him to the park...it was funny in some way because all the dogs weren't playing much just sitting with their tongues out..so when we started walking back home we kept stopping and giving him water because he kept breathing so hard. We even had to buy a water bottle for him to drink because he had drinked his other bottle...im concern because this is his frist summer...I'm thinking of leaving him indoors with the ac while it's so hot...it get's very hot here in NY. What should i do when i get him out in hot weather?

cdawnfine · 04-27-2009, 04:14 PM

In the summer months I always make sure I have plenty of half bottles of frozen water in the fridge (the reusable kind not the water you buy in the store) and plenty of ice cubes. This way when I go out with Milo I grab a 2 frozen water bottles and fill to the top with fresh water and I take a plastic container and fill with Ice cubes. This way there is plenty of cold water for both of us at all times.

yorkiepaws · 04-27-2009, 05:28 PM

I had a very similar problem 2 years ago. My pup got up to 10.5 lbs. She would huff and puff even when it wasn't that hot. She would chase her ball in the house and pant like crazy. I took her to the vet thinking ok she must have some kind of heart problem. They told me she needed to lose weight. Got her down to 8 lbs now and she is a different dog. I could not believe what 2 lbs could do. But i guess because they are small to begin with that 2 lbs is a lot of extra weight. Good luck with your pup.

wemple2 · 04-27-2009, 05:54 PM

Weight loss may be the answer. But also remember to offer plenty of cool water at all times, especially while active. Dogs don't sweat so their panting is how they cool themselves...if panting is excessive they can become dehydrated. Get the thyroid test to rule out hypothyroidism. Hope all goes well...

cinnamonmon · 04-27-2009, 06:25 PM

Thanks everyone...actually I think they did a thyroid test when they did all the bloodwork last year but I will call tomorrow to make sure. I will gladly spend the money for a blood test if I need to but I would rather try some of the other things mentioned first. My husband has been out of a job for a year now so my income is the only one, and with 3 dogs and one daughter going to college in the fall, I barely can do the basics. Im glad to know mine isnt the only one though. We were talking at work today about who turned their air on since the heatwave came on Friday. I was sharing about our broken central air but didnt admit we went and bought a portable unit for our upstairs anyways (our central never did work that well up here). What I didnt say, even to dh was that I was more worried about the dog than us...crazy huh? At least she has been sleeping better in the air conditioned room. What we wont do for our babies!

Gigi485 · 04-28-2009, 07:06 AM

This happened to Sully (7 mos) this weekend too. It was 80 degrees Sat and Sun and when I took him outside to potty - he'd go and then literally "plop" on the grass like he just ran a 10K race. Once he got in the cool house he was fine. Not as peppy, but non the less fine. I'm glad to hear we're not alone.

bluefaith · 04-28-2009, 10:26 AM

I told my boss about what happened to Rex and she told me to take him to the vet...that he should have been fine a few hours later. But i think it's the heat because he still plays, eats as well..but yea his mouth is constantly open and his heart is beating fast. I looked much better this morning though.

ARCHIE · 04-28-2009, 10:37 AM

I hope it's from the heat. Sounds like it is. Buddy has been feeling this
80-90 degree weather we have had these past few days. He's panting
also on his walks but want's to keep going. He will plop down in the cool
grass and roll around. I made his walks shorter yesterday and will again
today. I feel bad because he just loves walking but I think he's pushing it.
I also have noticed his stools are looser than usual. He pushed me over
in bed last night to be on the fan side.

I didn't put on the ac yet.
He slept streached out all night enjoying the breeze from the fan.
I hope he dosen't catch a cold now

I put ice cubes in his water
a couple times a day to keep it really cool.
He's 16lbs but not overweight. Just big and muscular.

04-26-2009, 07:16 PM	#1
cinnamonmon Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: cincinnati Posts: 194	Anyone else have a dog that is really heat sensitive...am very concerned My Cinnamon is overweight...I will admit that...she weighs about 10 lbs...she doesnt look fat but Ive been told she should lose about 2 lbs.. I know weight would make her heat sensitive somewhat, but actually she has been like this always. (she is 4 yrs old) In fact, I have taken her to the vet several times thinking there must be something wrong. In fact, I got a second opinion and expensive bloodwork ($200) just to make sure there was nothing I was missing. (that was last summer, I think) She pants even after a block of walking and then cant seem to cool down afterwards even when back in the air conditioning. I ended up giving her a cool rinse after our walk everyday last year. Our weather turned this weekend...we went from the 50s to the mid 80s and she has been miserable. Our central air is broken so even with fans she seems so uncomfortable. Not only panting, but not eating as well, and eating grass when we take our walks. I am tempted to take her in again to the vet, but as everyone else in this day and age, money is short and I have overeacted so many times with this dog. I would do anything for my baby and I hate seeing her miserable. I have tried to google this subject and Yorkies are not a breed none to over heat , but has anyone esel dealt with this? Thanks

04-26-2009, 07:53 PM	#2
Mum Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Statesville,NC,USA Posts: 207	heat our Abbey is 9 months old...she cant stand the HEAT..when we're by our pool..she fins shade and lays there panting. bring her in and she pants herself to sleep! on walks she's eating grass...Im dreading this summer!

04-26-2009, 07:55 PM	#3
Wylie's Mom Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 35,889 Blog Entries: 2	What she checked for? She should probably see an endocrinologist; or, at least do bloodwork for thyroid. This just doesn't sound right. __________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann \| Pfeiffer \| Marcel Verdel Purcell \| Wylie \| Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨°

04-26-2009, 07:59 PM	#4
emilyann Lovin' My LilBug! Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,513	Lilly is like this too but not to the extremes you mentioned. I think a lot of Lilly's is just wanting attention but that's just because of the situations it happens in. Good luck, I hope you find the answers you're looking for __________________ love my lillybug! rags and ribbons!

04-27-2009, 05:28 PM	#8
yorkiepaws Owned by "Lil Rat" Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,067	I had a very similar problem 2 years ago. My pup got up to 10.5 lbs. She would huff and puff even when it wasn't that hot. She would chase her ball in the house and pant like crazy. I took her to the vet thinking ok she must have some kind of heart problem. They told me she needed to lose weight. Got her down to 8 lbs now and she is a different dog. I could not believe what 2 lbs could do. But i guess because they are small to begin with that 2 lbs is a lot of extra weight. Good luck with your pup. __________________ Mommy to Himalaya and Kitty

04-26-2009, 09:52 PM	#5
Erin Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Suburbs Posts: 3,306	Loki was hot on Friday when it was 80. Hopefully you can get your AC fixed because that will help. I have found that my pups do not do well with sudden temp changes. They do fine in 10 degree weather in February but shiver for days the first time it hits 40 in October. They do not enjoy the first few weeks of heat but slowly adapt and by August they are fine as long as we avoid the hottest part of the day. Sammy is less affected but she is not overweight like he is. A short haircut will help too! Mine get shaved next week. We had Loki's thyroid checked and it was only like $60 so if that's what it could be, at least it isn't extremely expensive.

04-27-2009, 03:54 PM	#6
bluefaith Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York Posts: 25	My Rexy was the same way...here in NY this past Saturday it went up to 88 degress and we took him to the park...it was funny in some way because all the dogs weren't playing much just sitting with their tongues out..so when we started walking back home we kept stopping and giving him water because he kept breathing so hard. We even had to buy a water bottle for him to drink because he had drinked his other bottle...im concern because this is his frist summer...I'm thinking of leaving him indoors with the ac while it's so hot...it get's very hot here in NY. What should i do when i get him out in hot weather?

04-27-2009, 04:14 PM	#7
cdawnfine Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: nj Posts: 1,256	In the summer months I always make sure I have plenty of half bottles of frozen water in the fridge (the reusable kind not the water you buy in the store) and plenty of ice cubes. This way when I go out with Milo I grab a 2 frozen water bottles and fill to the top with fresh water and I take a plastic container and fill with Ice cubes. This way there is plenty of cold water for both of us at all times.

04-27-2009, 05:54 PM	#9
wemple2 Wee Winston Wiggles Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Kewanee, Illinois Posts: 9,666	Weight loss may be the answer. But also remember to offer plenty of cool water at all times, especially while active. Dogs don't sweat so their panting is how they cool themselves...if panting is excessive they can become dehydrated. Get the thyroid test to rule out hypothyroidism. Hope all goes well... __________________ As Ever, Kathy Intruducing Bentley Winston and Spencer: RIP My Sweet Angels

04-27-2009, 06:25 PM	#10
cinnamonmon Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: cincinnati Posts: 194	Thanks everyone...actually I think they did a thyroid test when they did all the bloodwork last year but I will call tomorrow to make sure. I will gladly spend the money for a blood test if I need to but I would rather try some of the other things mentioned first. My husband has been out of a job for a year now so my income is the only one, and with 3 dogs and one daughter going to college in the fall, I barely can do the basics. Im glad to know mine isnt the only one though. We were talking at work today about who turned their air on since the heatwave came on Friday. I was sharing about our broken central air but didnt admit we went and bought a portable unit for our upstairs anyways (our central never did work that well up here). What I didnt say, even to dh was that I was more worried about the dog than us...crazy huh? At least she has been sleeping better in the air conditioned room. What we wont do for our babies!

04-28-2009, 07:06 AM	#11
Gigi485 YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Methuen, MA USA Posts: 306	This happened to Sully (7 mos) this weekend too. It was 80 degrees Sat and Sun and when I took him outside to potty - he'd go and then literally "plop" on the grass like he just ran a 10K race. Once he got in the cool house he was fine. Not as peppy, but non the less fine. I'm glad to hear we're not alone.

04-28-2009, 10:26 AM	#12
bluefaith Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York Posts: 25	I told my boss about what happened to Rex and she told me to take him to the vet...that he should have been fine a few hours later. But i think it's the heat because he still plays, eats as well..but yea his mouth is constantly open and his heart is beating fast. I looked much better this morning though.

04-28-2009, 10:37 AM	#13
ARCHIE No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 16,218	I hope it's from the heat. Sounds like it is. Buddy has been feeling this 80-90 degree weather we have had these past few days. He's panting also on his walks but want's to keep going. He will plop down in the cool grass and roll around. I made his walks shorter yesterday and will again today. I feel bad because he just loves walking but I think he's pushing it. I also have noticed his stools are looser than usual. He pushed me over in bed last night to be on the fan side. I didn't put on the ac yet. He slept streached out all night enjoying the breeze from the fan. I hope he dosen't catch a cold now I put ice cubes in his water a couple times a day to keep it really cool. He's 16lbs but not overweight. Just big and muscular. Last edited by ARCHIE; 04-28-2009 at 10:39 AM.