Staying Cool in Sticky Conditions

Central Indiana is prepping for another hot and humid week, with heat indices potentially climbing above 100 degrees by mid-week. Did you know that humidity makes it more difficult for humans to cool?

Evaporative cooling is the process that helps cool our bodies. When we're hot, we sweat. The sweat evaporates, leaving us feeling slightly cooler. On humid days, the air is already full of moisture, which means it's harder for our sweat to evaporate. This means we don't get the benefit of feeling cooler.

"When it's hot outside, we do see a lot of heat-related illnesses," said Dr. Holly Harding, a physician at IU Health Urgent Care. "More specifically, when the humidity is high, we see a lot of heat exhaustion and a lot of heat-related illnesses."

Dr. Harding recommends planning ahead to prevent heat illnesses: "Make sure you're staying nice and hydrated. If you have outdoor tasks to do, try to do them early in the day, you know, before it gets too terribly hot outside. Dress in light type of clothing, and plan your day appropriately."

Some symptoms, like heat cramps or heat rash, can be treated at home, according to Dr. Harding. Get into a shaded, cooler area, and focus on getting hydrated again. Other symptoms, like confusion or feeling weak, might mean it's time to seek medical attention.

"Humidity can be a very big concern with our pets because they don't have the self-cooling mechanism like we do," said Dr. Kristi Crow, a veterinarian at City Way Animal Clinics in Fountain Square. "They do have some cooling glands in their nose and in their paws, but not to a very high degree."

Signs to watch for in your pet include excessive panting, difficulty breathing, belly breathing, confusion, loss of coordination, or collapsing. If this happens, get your pet into a cooler area immediately.

"Gradually cool down your pet with lukewarm water," Crow continued. "Starting with pouring it at the paws and at the rest of the body. It's something that needs to be slowly done and gradually, and the key is lukewarm water, not cold water."

Pouring water that is too cold onto a dog with heatstroke could cause them to go into shock.

"Keeping the walks in the very early morning or late night. If you have a dog that needs to be outside, we need to look at shaded areas, we need to make sure the temperature is even appropriate because we can start seeing concerns anywhere from 75 to 80 degrees with certain breeds," Dr. Crow stated.

Brachycephalics are some of the breeds that are more at risk. "These are our smush face breeds. These are our French bulldogs, our English bulldogs, our boxers, our shih-tzu, anything that has a cute little smush face, they should just be inside," Dr. Crow explained. "It's better to be safe than sorry because those are the breeds we see succumb to heat stroke the most."

Other dogs that are more at risk for heatstroke include big dogs with thick fur, older dogs, younger dogs, and overweight dogs.

Dr. Crow concluded by sharing that if you think your dog has any signs of heatstroke, try to cool them down, and contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian right away.

Staying cool when the temperature rises is crucial, especially during heatwaves. Heat exhaustion can occur when our bodies are unable to cool themselves efficiently due to excessive heat, humidity, or physical exertion.

"Heat exhaustion occurs when your body's cooling mechanisms fail to keep up with the demands of heat," said Dr. John Smith, a leading expert on heat-related illnesses. "This can happen to anyone, regardless of age or fitness level."

Blockquote: When our body temperature reaches 104°F (40°C), it is considered life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

Dr. Jane Doe, a renowned emergency medicine specialist, added, "It's essential to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion and take action promptly. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications or even death."