Heat Safety For Dogs: A Guide To Keeping Your Dog Safe and Happy This Summer
Heat Safety Tips
In Texas and other warm states, it is imperative to know heat safety for your dogs in order to ensure a happy and healthy pup. Pets respond differently to heat than humans do, so it’s important to know the distinctions. Dogs cool themselves by panting and they sweat primarily through their feet. The act of panting helps a dog exchange their warm body temperature for the cooler ambient air around them.
➡️ Did you also know you can’t rely on a fan to keep to your pup comfortable? Fans don't cool off pets as effectively as they do people. The reason fans feel good to us is because we sweat through our skin and the air flow provided by a fan cools that sweat. Since dogs sweat through their paws, fans are far less effective as a cooling source.
Heatstroke In Dogs
Just like in humans, extreme temperatures can cause heatstroke in dogs. By knowing the causes and signs you can focus on keeping your dog safe.
There are several ways your dog can get overheated that some people may not think about.
Examples of causes of heatstroke in dogs are things such as leaving your dog in a hot car or space for too long (DON’T DO IT) or taking your dog out in hot temperatures without ample shade, water and rest breaks.
The image here shows the temperature in a car after 30 mins of being in the sun.
Signs of heatstroke in dogs can also include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart & respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, lethargy or even collapse. Be on the lookout for other symptoms like increased thirst, dizziness, lack of coordination, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure and temperature of over 104 degrees.
Higher risk pets populations include our beloved seniors, the young, overweight, deconditioned, or those that have heart or respiratory issues.
Some breeds of dogs—like boxers, pugs, shih tzus and other dogs and cats with short muzzles—will have a much harder time breathing in extreme heat.
If you think your pet has overheated, place cool (not ice cold, as this can do more harm!), wet washcloths on their head and neck, and cool compresses on their belly and under their back legs. Move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Let them drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Call your vet’s office immediately and seek their advice about next steps. Don’t hesitate to seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.
Ways to Have Fun in the Sun
There are ways to enjoy the outdoors with your dogs in the heat, you just have to take the necessary steps to keep them cool. Here are some pet cooling items on Amazon that are a great way to keep your pup comfortable. Items like cooling mats, vests, chilled water bowls, etc.
In addition to these cooling items, here are a few things you can do to ensure your dog is safe in the heat:
#1 Exercise your pet when it’s cooler outside (think early AM or late PM)
#2 Ensure your pet can escape the heat outdoors
#3 Touch the asphalt with the back of your hand to check the temperature. If it’s too hot for your hand it’s too hot for the paw pads.
#4 Always make sure your pet has plenty of water available
#5 Whip up a batch of quick and easy DIY pupsicles for dogs.
#6 Prepare for power outages: Before a summer storm (or rolling blackout) takes out the power in your home, create a disaster plan to keep your pets safe from heat stroke and other temperature-related trouble.
#7 Watch the humidity, remember that it's not just the ambient temperature, but also the humidity that can affect your pet
Water Activities
Another way to have fun in the sun is by taking dogs swimming, whether that be in a pool, lake or stream. However, there are also different safety concerns that go along with where you take your pup to swim.
Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool—not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his or her fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals.
Other great places to take your pup to swim include different bodies of water around Austin.
However, in recent years there has been deadly algae that has shown up in different lakes and streams around Austin. You are able to check the levels tested every few weeks, click here to see the most recent tests.
This ☀️ summer the temperature is hitting record highs daily and being informed on pet safety is growing more important every day. There are plenty of ways to keep your pup happy and healthy this summer and Austin is a great city to do exactly that.
Just try to remember if it is too hot for you, it’s probably too hot for you canine best friend!
