Heat stroke, danger in summer: Let’s find out how to prevent.

It’s summer now, let’s get ready and be careful of heat stroke. This year, Thai Meteorological Department expects that the temperature will be 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than last year, with the highest temperature rising to 44.5 degrees Celsius. This hot and humid weather may cause health hazards and risk of heat stroke. Let’s get ready to cope with or provide first aid for heat stroke. Importantly, heat stroke can occur in dogs and cats. Today, Muang Thai Life gathers all you need to know to watch out for heat stroke, the danger that comes with heat.

• What is heat stroke?
• Types of heat stroke.
• Who is at risk of heat stroke? 
• Symptoms of heat stroke
• How to prevent heat stroke
• Heat stroke: treatment and first aid
• Heat stroke in dogs and cats 
• Hamsters and heat stroke
  

What is heat stroke?

“Heat stroke” is a disease that must be very careful during the summer because it is a condition caused by the body being overheated which cannot be controlled. It usually occurs when the body temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius, which is too much heat in the body. This is usually caused by the too-hot weather, heavy exercise in high temperatures and labor jobs, for examples. When our body temperature rises so much that the body cannot cool down in time, it can cause heat stroke. Especially, when symptoms occur, they should be taken care of immediately. If you leave it for a long time, it can affect the heart, brain, kidneys and muscles. If not treated correctly, it can be life-threatening.

Types of heat stroke

Did you know that heat stroke is not caused by just hot weather? There are 2 main types of heatstroke, which can be divided according to the causes as follows:

1. Classic Heatstroke or Non – Exertional Heatstroke: This type of heatstroke is caused by staying in hot and humid weather for a long time or wearing thick clothing or not ventilated which cannot evaporate sweats, including drinking less water and drinking alcohol. These causes will interfere with the body's temperature regulation, increasing the body temperature. The elderly or people with chronic diseases have a risk of this type of heatstroke.
2. Exertional Heatstroke: It is caused by heavy exercise or from working in high-temperature area, especially in people who are not used to hot weather. This increases the chance of heatstroke.
   

Who is at risk of heat stroke?

Besides the weather and many environmental factors that can cause people to develop heatstroke, there are other groups at risk for "heat stroke", too, including:

1. Children under 5 years old and the elderly because the body cannot cool itself as well as teenagers and adults;
2. People with congenital or chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure;
3. People who work or do activities in the hot sun;
4. People who are overweight and obese;
5. People who don't get enough rest. If you don't get enough sleep, it will affect the body's temperature regulation mechanism.
6. People who drink large amounts of alcoholic beverages because of alcohol will cause the capillaries under the skin to expand more, causing the body to lose water and mineral salts more than people who do not drink. Especially, when drinking in very hot weather, alcohol stimulates the heart to pump blood faster and harder, resulting in higher blood pressure; the heart works harder until it may cause shock and death.

Symptoms of heat stroke

Heat stroke is considered one of the most dangerous summer diseases. If severe, it may lead to death. Therefore, on very hot days, you should notice these symptoms yourself to prevent risks that may occur.

1. The body gets hotter and hotter until the body heat reaches 40 degrees Celsius;
2. Feeling acutely confused, irritated, unable to speak, delirium, convulsions or coma;
3. If you have heatstroke from hot weather, your skin will be dry and hot;
4. If it is heat stroke from exercise, the skin will be dry and slightly moist;
5. No sweating and feeling very thirsty;
6. Shortness of breath, bounding pulse;
7. Throbbing headache, dizziness, low blood pressure;
8. Fatigue, nausea, vomiting.
   

How to prevent heat stroke

Heat stroke can happen to anyone, even to healthy people. Prevention is therefore the best solution. Especially on a very hot day or a day you have to do outdoor activities for a long time, you should prepare yourself early as follows:

1. Avoid being in the sun or playing sports in very hot weather;
2. Wear light-colored, airy clothing that wicks heat well;
3. Add moisture and reduce body temperature by sipping water frequently at least 6-8 glasses per day;
4. Avoid drinking alcohol, tea, coffee, and high-sugar drinks;
5. For people with chronic diseases, you should not be in too-high temperature area;
6. For people who exercise, it is recommended to exercise in a ventilated area. If you can exercise in the morning or evening, it would be better because the weather is not very hot;
7. Always have a cooling device with you, such as a mini fan or a hand fan.
   

Heat stroke: treatment and first aid

If you notice that you or someone close to you begins to have worrisome symptoms of heat stroke because of the higher heat, we should provide first aid as follows.

1. Take the patient into the shade where the air is easily ventilated or a cool room to reduce body temperature.
2. Lie the patient down. Raise their feet and hips to increase blood flow to the brain.
3. Loosen their clothes for cooling.
4. Use a cloth soaked in cold water to wipe their body, neck, armpits, groin and forehead, or compress their body with ice to reduce body temperature as quickly as possible.
5. If the patient is unconscious, have them lie on their side to prevent the base of the tongue from blocking the airway.
6. Call the hotline Tel. 1669 or take the patient to the hospital immediately.
   

Heat stroke in dogs and cats

For heat stroke during this hot summer, in addition to being dangerous to people, for pets, it is equally dangerous, especially in dogs and cats that are the most popular pets. The longer the fur, the thicker the fur or the more hair, and the shorter the face, the more worrisome during hot weather. Heat stroke in pets is caused by a rapid increase in body temperature of more than 40 degrees Celsius and the heat cannot be released to the outside in time. Therefore, you must prepare to find ways to cool your pets down to prevent heat stroke. Let's find out how to observe the symptoms and how to provide basic first aid when your pets have heat stroke.

Heat stroke in dogs and cats

• Severe breathing, shortness of breath, gasping, and panting more than usual;
• Lethargy, drooling and more sticky saliva than usual, lying still;
• Dilated pupils, behavior changes or being more aggressive than usual in a short period;
• Eyes, gums, and tongue are redder than normal. If the symptoms are very severe, they will turn pale;
• The pet's temperature reachs 40.5 degrees Celsius.

Basic ways to prevent heatstroke in dogs and cats

• Do not take pets outside for outdoor activities during hot sunny days.
• Do activities during shady parts of the day, possibly in the morning or the evening.
• In extremely hot weather, bring your pets into the house and turn on the fan or air conditioner for them.
• There should be cooling devices around the house to allow pets to cool down on their own, such as cool gel sheets for sleeping and clay jars.
• There should be clean water for your pets to drink at all times.
  

Basic pet first aid for heat stroke

• Bring pets indoors for ventilation or a place away from the sun as soon as possible.
• If your pets are wearing any chains, necklaces or clothing, they should all be removed.
• Wet the cloth with normal temperature water and wipe the pet in the groin or armpit area, including the head, for a while to relieve heat and adjust body temperature.
• Take the pets to the nearest veterinarian immediately for proper treatment.
  

Hamsters and heat stroke

Hamsters are another popular pet that we often hear on the news that heatstroke occurs frequently as well. The hamster is a small animal, so it's even more difficult to notice its symptoms. Before we know that it’s sick, it might already be too late. Let's look at the signs that indicate that hamsters are at risk of heatstroke, along with how to protect them.

Symptoms of heat stroke in hamsters

Because hamsters are very small animals, the owner must keep an eye on their conditions frequently. Especially during very hot weather, the behavior and symptoms of the hamster can  change as follows

1. Sleeping on pee or on a wet and cold place or on fresh vegetables that we give to it to eat: This symptom indicates that the hamster needs to cool off the body. Also, sleeping on pee or a wet place for a long time can cause it to become sick later, such as hair loss, skin disease, pneumonia or other diseases;
2. Drinking a lot of water because of hot weather: Hamsters lose water in their body, so they have to drink more water to compensate for the water the body has lost;
3. Sleeping in a food bowl in order to remove heat from the body: Most of the food bowls that we give to them are ceramic or terracotta which gives cool feeling;
4. Sweating in some hamsters: There is water around the neck. If it's very hot, there may be sweat on the stomach and they may even have symptoms of heat stroke;
5. Feeling frustrated when the weather is very hot;
6. Lying still: They don't play much and move less because they may be exhausted from the extremely hot weather.
7. Digging up the sawdust until there’s a hole to lie close to the group because it’s cool;
8. Hair loss and chipped hair: When the weather is hot, some hamsters will shed their hair for cooling.
   

How to prevent heat stroke in hamsters

First of all, when the weather is very hot, don’t take your hamsters outdoor. Changing weather conditions can cause hamsters to go into shock and can even be deadly. Water must be prepared at all times so as not to run out. For where the hamsters live, it must be in a place with good ventilation, not stuffy or too hot. You may have pieces of cucumber for them to eat to relieve their thirst. Yet, you shouldn't leave food out for a long time because, in the summer, germs grow well; it may cause diarrhea. There is no need to add as much sawdust as usual but as needed. Turn on the fan gently, because it is another way to help dissipate heat.

Caution: Do not!! Lower your pet's temperature with very cold water and do not change the room temperature suddenly. If the symptoms do not improve, it is best to take them to the doctor immediately.

When entering the summer, the dangers from heat and sunlight are considered fairly serious to health, especially heat stroke. We should carefully observe these symptoms in both people and pets we love. The best way is to avoid being outdoors for a long time and keep the body temperature as close to normal as possible. Also, enhance your confidence in living life with health insurance from Muang Thai Life Assurance because we can get sick at any age. #เพราะชีวิตทุกวัยมันเจ็บป่วย

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For more information:

☑ Call Tel. 1766, available 24/7.

☑ Contact life insurance agent

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(1) In case of choosing Plan 40 MB, 75 MB or 100 MB

(2) For 50-year-old insured choosing Plan 20 MB with coverage area in Thailand in annual premium payment mode

(3) In case of choosing Plan 5 MB which is a benefit per any treatment

(4) For female 34-year-old insured choosing Plan 5 MB with deductibles of 30,000 Baht per any hospitalization (topping up existing coverage) in annual premium payment mode.

(5) For Plan 3 which is a benefit per any inpatient hospitalization

(6) For female 34-year-old insured choosing Plan 3 in annual premium payment mode.

- Coverage conditions are as specified in the insurance policy.

- Health riders must be attached to an effective policy.

- Coverage period of the rider must not exceed the coverage period of the life insurance policy that this rider is attached to.

- Premium is eligible for tax deduction. Conditions are as specified by the Revenue Department.

- Conditions are as specified by Muang Thai Life Assurance PCL

- Underwriting is subject to the Company’s rules.

- Please study details of coverage, conditions and exclusions before making a decision to purchase insurance.

Sources: data retrieved on 4/03/2024

🔖 Thairath

🔖 Rajavithi Hospital

🔖 Synphaet Hospital

🔖 Phyathai Hospital

🔖 Paolo Hospital

🔖 PONGKUNG HAMSTER AND PET

🔖 PPTV