Table 5.

Development of the novel VetCompass Clinical Grading Tool for Heat-Related Illness in dogs, based upon the JAAMHC human heat-related illness scale.

Japanese Association of Acute Medicine Heat-Related Illness Classification stages	Human symptoms	VetCompass Clinical Grading Tool for Heat-Related Illness in dogs grades	Adapted canine clinical signs
Stage I	Dizziness, faintness, slight yawning Heavy sweating Muscle pain, stiff muscles (muscle cramps) Impaired consciousness is not observed	Mild	No impaired consciousness observed Lethargy or stiffness Panting heavily or respiratory distress
Stage II	Headache, vomiting, Fatigue, sinking feeling Declined concentration and judgement	Moderate	Vomiting and/or diarrhoea (no blood present), hypersalivation Collapse (intermittent only) A single seizure
Stage III	Includes at least one of the following: Central nervous system manifestation (impaired consciousness, cerebellar symptoms, convulsive seizures) Hepatic/renal dysfunction Coagulation disorder	Severe	Includes at least one of the following: Central nervous system impairment (ataxia, two or more seizures, profound depression, unresponsive, coma) Hepatic/renal dysfunction (confirmed on blood tests) Gastrointestinal haemorrhage Coagulation disorder
Unreported	N/A	Unreported	No clinical signs or diagnostic results recorded in the clinical history