4 Ways to Ensure Your Pet Doesn't Become a Hot Dog This Summer!
Summer brings many dangers for dogs. A grape or a tomato slice dropped at a picnic can poison a dog. A wayward wasp can inflict a painful sting on a dog’s nose. Or even a brief drink from a pond or other stagnant water source, polluted with blue-green algae, can make a dog deathly ill.
But perhaps the greatest summer peril for dogs is excess heat.
Unsafe Temperatures
White Poodle Service Dog Holding Toy (Courtesy: MobilityDog.org)
When temperatures rise above 80° F (or even 75°, if you want to be conservative), the risk of heat-related issues increases dramatically. When temperatures rise above 85° F, dogs can no longer cool themselves efficiently (which they do through panting, since they don’t have many sweat glands or much capability for cooling perspiration).
As much as your pet may want to chase the tennis ball, exertion on hot days can hasten heat-related distress. In addition:
Environmental moisture, like humidity or dampness from long wet grass, makes the problem worse.
Static air, as in a confined space like a car, shed or dog house, renders cooling respiration ineffective since the dog is merely breathing hot air.
Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stoke and Hot Paws
Happy White Poodle at the Beach (Courtesy: MobilityDog.org
These three conditions are the main problems dogs face in summer weather.
How can you tell the difference between heatstroke and heat exhaustion?
Generally, heat exhaustion is a milder condition. The animal’s body temperature will rise but not exceed 104° F. Despite panting and searching for water sources, your pet can still walk, though she will be taking frequent breaks.
With heatstroke, the body temperature exceeds 104° F. You will see warning signs like:
Panting excessively with no breaks.
Collapse.
Dark red gums; and
A glazed look in the eyes.
The animal may seem unresponsive to you. A rectal thermometer is the only way to get an accurate assessment of your pet’s body temperature. A vet in the emergency room may need to perform this task.
Hot surfaces, especially asphalt and artificial grass, pose a hazard to your pooch’s paws on hot days. Sand, metal and concrete surfaces can also be dangerous.
What To Do for A Dangerously Overheated Dog
Layla, a Young Puppy Training to be a Service Dog (Courtesy: MobilityDog.org)
The easiest problem to address is overheated foot pads. Start by testing the walking surface before you venture out. If you can’t lay your hand flat on the surface for 10 seconds without being uncomfortably warm, then it’s too hot for your dog. Go back inside and walk another time. If you’re already on a walk and your dog shows signs of discomfort, immediately get her into the shade. If possible, spray down the area so the dog can get her feet wet. You can also wipe the feet with rubbing alcohol to increase evaporative cooling.
If you suspect heat exhaustion, the first step is to get your pet out of the sun and into the shade or preferably into a cool indoor space. If you believe heat exhaustion is occurring, get the dog into a tub of cool water quickly. Soak the dog’s ears, nose, belly and groin. Spray the dog down and get a fan blowing to increase evaporative cooling. Give the dog frequent small amounts of water and keep the animal in a cool space to recover. Your goal is to reduce the dog’s temperature back down to 103° F.
If you believe your pet is suffering from heat stroke, immediate veterinary care is the best option. The vet may administer cooled intravenous fluid and closely monitor the dog’s temperature until it drops back to 103° F.
If access to a vet requires transporting the dog for some time, call ahead to make sure they know your pet is in severe distress and that you are on your way. But don’t wait to act – immediate cooling remains critical. Lay the animal on a cool, wet towel in the car. Bring extra towels to change out when one becomes warm. If you can, measure the dog’s rectal temperature and note the time. Spray the dog frequently with cool water and drive with the windows open to increase airflow and accelerate cooling.
Ice or No Ice?
Young Puppies Playing Outside (Courtesy: MobilityDog.org)
Experts debate whether pet guardians should use ice baths to cool an overheated dog. On the one hand, ice can be effective in lowering body temperature quickly. On the other hand, immersing a pet in an ice bath can cause cooling to be too rapid, shocking the heart and leading to vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels), which actually traps heat in the animal’s body. The best advice? Don’t let it get to this point.
Young, active dogs are particularly at risk from heat-related problems from exertion, whereas brachycephalic animals (short-noted breeds like Pugs and Boxers) seem most prone to environmental heat issues since their ability to cool themselves through respiration is impeded. Whatever the causes or the animal’s particular vulnerability, conscientious pet guardians should plan ahead to prevent heat-related illnesses, so that heroic interventions are not required.