Don’t take your dog out in the afternoon heat during summer!
Not unless you’re going to the river or beach, or a nice cool shady spot. Humans are very efficient at staying cool, using our whole bodies as radiators. Dogs not so much. Their coats will protect them from sunburn, but not sunstroke!Ways to avoid heat stress in the summer:
- Wear a light jacket when you walk your dog– this will allow you to better judge when enough is enough by feeling the heat yourself.
- Walk before lunch or after dinner, when the sun is not its strongest.
- Set up a kids pool or sprinkler so your dog can wade and chase the water.
- Wrap a wet bandanna around your dog’s neck
- Buy a light heat-reflecting vest for black dogs
- Shave your dog’s underside so it can passively shed heat.
- Have your dog’s undercoat removed – this is usually an arduous and tedious task, so you may want to pay a groomer to do it.
- Freeze plain yogurt or broth for a cooling treat
Be especially wary of heat stroke for short-faced, cobby, and heavy-coated dogs!
Symptoms include: rapid abdominal contraction, excessive panting, flushed tongue, thick saliva, high heartrate, unsettledness, high internal temperature.
If your dog shows signs of heat stroke, cool them down immediately by wetting them, giving water, fanning, making sure the air and water penetrates their coat.
Even if a dog shows no signs of damage, heat stroke can cause internal/organ damage, so have a checkup with a vet.