Pet Dog Collapses, Almost Dies Of Heatstroke While Walking In Park

Vets issued a warning Monday after a dog almost died of heatstroke in Glasgow, Scotland.

The dog, a one-year-old American Bulldog named Finlay who was born with three legs, was walking in a park when it became overheated and suddenly collapsed.

"I always bring water for Finlay to drink and keep his walks short. On this occasion, some children starting playing with him and he ran around for a few minutes. I saw him panting and was concerned that he might be getting too hot so decided to take him home to cool down,” Shona McLaren, the dog’s owner, said.

However, before she could take the dog home, it started breathing heavily and refused to move.

"Then he collapsed completely and his eyes became glassy and his tongue started to turn blue. I've never been more scared in my life,” McLaren said.

She immediately picked up the dog and rushed it to a nearby animal hospital. The dog was given emergency treatment and its body was hosed down with cool water in order to bring down the dog’s temperature. After a few hours, Finlay was returned to the owner.

Warning pet owners to be extra careful during summers, Terri Steel, a vet, said, "While any dog can suffer heatstroke, certain dogs are more at risk. Flat-faced breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs and Shih Tzus are more likely to experience heatstroke as they can't cool down as effectively through panting, compared to dogs with a longer nose. So it's especially important to make sure they don't overheat in the first place. Obese dogs, those with very thick coats, dogs that are dressed up, very young pets, and those with breathing problems are also all at higher risk."