Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 24(4) 772 –776 © 2012 The Author(s) Reprints and permission:

Heat-related injuries (HRIs) include a spectrum of progres-sively more severe clinical diseases, which, in human beings, are commonly termed heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.10 Heat-related injury occurs when thermoregulatory mechanisms fail to maintain an appropriate core body tem-perature after either environmental acquisition or endogenous production of heat exceeds the body’s ability to dissipate heat adequately. Excess heat can result from exposure to high envi-ronmental temperature (classic heat stroke) or exercise-associated generation of heat (exertional heat stroke).2 Compounding factors such as high humidity, low environ-mental air movement, and heavy insulation (hair coat) addi-tionally reduce the body’s ability to disperse heat. Development of HRI may be enhanced in patients with poor thermoregula-tory ability, such as neonates and geriatric patients, or by con