Okay, so, the other day I was messing around, trying to get some cool shots of my bulldog, you know, just for fun. I noticed something that got me a bit worried – he was panting like crazy. It was way more than his usual after-walk panting, and it kinda freaked me out.
I started paying more attention. I noticed he wasn’t just panting a lot, but also drooling all over the place and acting super tired, like he couldn’t even be bothered to chase his favorite squeaky toy. That’s when I realized something might be seriously wrong, I did recall somewhere saying panting is a sign of heatstroke.
What I Did:
- First off, I immediately stopped our little photo session and brought him inside where it was cooler. No more pictures were worth risking his health.
- Then, I gave him some cool water to drink, not ice-cold though, ’cause I heard that can shock their system.
- I also grabbed a wet towel and gently wiped him down, focusing on his paws and belly to help cool him off.
- While doing all this, I kept a close eye on him, checking if he was getting any better or if he was going to hurl.
Thankfully, after about 20 minutes or so, he started to calm down. The panting slowed, and he even managed to give me one of his goofy grins.
This whole thing was a real wake-up call for me. I mean, I know bulldogs are prone to overheating, but seeing it happen right in front of me was something else. From now on, I’m gonna be extra careful with him, especially when it’s hot out. No more long walks in the midday sun, and definitely more breaks in the shade. It’s just not worth it to put him through that again. I really should keep a closer eye on my dog’s panting from now on.
