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I took Kodee for a walk for about 50 minutes today. It was about 90 degrees, and very humid. We stopped and I let him have ice water, and he drank quite a bit. He was panting super-fast, so I took him in a store into the AC. I put him in a down on the hard wood floor, and just waited a while (maybe 15 minutes) for him to cool down and start breathing a little more easy. After 15 minutes, he's still panting super-fast. Way faster than "normal panting" in my mind. So I take him back to our car (about 5 minutes away, if that. He drinks more ice water, and I turn the AC on high, all vents aimed on Kodee. His breathing hasn't slowed down at all from what I can tell, 15 minutes later. So I call my "new" vet, and tell the receptionist what's going on (nothing really other than super-fast panting, longer than I would expect to be normal). She says they just had an emergency come in, and she'd have to try to ask someone and call me back later. Uh, NO.
If he's got heat exhaustion, I need to know asap, so I can bring him in or do whatever needs to be done for him now. So she says "I'll try to call back as soon as I can." Ugh! Now I'm po'ed, but whatever. While I'm waiting for a call back, I call my old vet. Same question. This time the receptionist puts me on hold to ask, then gets back on the phone and says "Uh, panting, and maybe collapse?" WTH? She even said it like she was asking me! First off, it's July - my dog pants a lot. So that's not real helpful, I need more specifics. Secondly, I'm calling so that I can find out if something's wrong BEFORE Kodee collapses. Yikes!
So I decide to just keep an eye on him, and take him to the vet if his breathing doesn't slow down soon. I take him in the pet store, put him in a down on the cold linoleum, and wait. Finally after about 10 or 15 more minutes, his breathing starts to slow down to normal. Still panting, but not so darn rapidly. Since we've been home, he's been on the cool linoleum in the AC, and I haven't let him be outside at all except for quick potty breaks. He's been fine all afternoon now. Thank goodness!
So, since I couldn't get a vet to do it, can you guys please tell me What are the symptoms of heat exhaustion, and what do you do if you think that's what's going on with your dog?
Also, does it sound like something really was going on with Kodee, or was I just overreacting?

So I decide to just keep an eye on him, and take him to the vet if his breathing doesn't slow down soon. I take him in the pet store, put him in a down on the cold linoleum, and wait. Finally after about 10 or 15 more minutes, his breathing starts to slow down to normal. Still panting, but not so darn rapidly. Since we've been home, he's been on the cool linoleum in the AC, and I haven't let him be outside at all except for quick potty breaks. He's been fine all afternoon now. Thank goodness!
So, since I couldn't get a vet to do it, can you guys please tell me What are the symptoms of heat exhaustion, and what do you do if you think that's what's going on with your dog?

Also, does it sound like something really was going on with Kodee, or was I just overreacting?