Canine environmental hyperthermia: a case series

Cases of hyperthermia caused by exposure to high environmental temperature are not uncommonly encountered in dogs. The circumstances surrounding the exposure to high environmental temperature may be accidental or intentional; thus highlighting the importance to perform a forensic autopsy. This report documents three cases of canine environmentally induced hyperthermia and all dogs in this report died less than 6 hr after exposure to the high environmental temperatures. The most commonly observed macroscopic findings included cutaneous petechial and ecchymotic hemorrhage, pulmonary edema and congestion, and epicardial and endocardial hemorrhage. Microscopically, there was systemic vascular congestion and hemorrhage, fibrin thrombi formation, and occasional enterocyte and/or renal tubular necrosis. The findings from all cases were consistent with hyperthermia induced disseminated intravascular coagulation.