{"id":568,"date":"2016-06-27T06:00:37","date_gmt":"2016-06-27T06:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/happypetsinfo.com\/blog\/?p=568"},"modified":"2017-05-01T16:22:14","modified_gmt":"2017-05-01T16:22:14","slug":"hot-weather-pet-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happypetsinfo.com\/blog\/hot-weather-pet-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot Weather Pet Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Keep Your Dog Safe and Cool in the Heat<\/h1>\n

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Summertime is a time for fun, vacationing, and relaxing in the sun, but it also brings potential health issues and danger for your pets. When the temperature rises, you need to take extra precautions to ensure that your dog is comfortable and safe in the heat.<\/p>\n

Please remember that pets are just as susceptible to heat-related illnesses as humans!\u00a0 Regarding hot days, if it\u2019s uncomfortable for you, it\u2019s even more uncomfortable for them.<\/p>\n

Here are some tips to help your pup stay safe, comfortable, and healthy in the heat.<\/p>\n

******\u00a0 Never, never leave your pet in a vehicle alone on a summer day.\u00a0 Even with windows rolled down a bit, within a few minutes a car can get extremely hot, stifling, and deadly.\u00a0 If you see a dog in a closed vehicle and it appears to be in distress from the heat, call 911 immediately!<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

** Some dog breeds are less tolerant to the heat than others. Older, obese, or short-nosed breeds (Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pekinese, Boxers, Shih Tzu\u2019s and French Bulldogs) are not able to regulate their body temperatures well in the heat. Be extra careful in keeping them cool and comfortable in the summer heat.\u00a0 Puppies fall into this category, as well.<\/p>\n

Exercise your dog early in the morning or later at night after the sun has gone down a bit. \u00a0Avoid the hottest part of the day.\u00a0 Summer is a good time to back off of any exercise intensity you have with your dog.<\/p>\n

Keep plenty of fresh water available for your dog at all times.\u00a0 If the water is outside, keep it in a shady place. To entice your dog to drink water, try giving him \u201cchicken wate<\/a>r\u201d throughout the day.\u00a0Boil frozen or fresh chicken breast portions (not breaded) in a covered pot with water until cooked through. No salt, no seasonings. Let it cool and serve\u00a0the broth with your pet\u2019s meals, or as a beverage treat throughout the day. See my article on dehydration<\/a>, dated June 13, 2016.<\/p>\n

Keep your dog hydrated!!\u00a0 Keep in mind that darker coats absorb more heat than lighter colored coats, and that older and overweight dogs are at a higher risk of dehydration.\u00a0\u00a0 Please see my article on Dehydration in Dogs and Cats<\/a>, dated June 13, 2016.<\/p>\n

Do not walk your dog on cement, blacktop, or asphalt when it\u2019s hot outside. \u00a0Your dog\u2019s paw pads can be burnt and blistered by the hot surface.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t tolerate it on your bare feet for more than 3 seconds, it\u2019s too hot for your pup\u2019s feet, too! \u00a0Walking on hot surfaces\u00a0can also increase body temperature in pets and lead to overheating. It\u2019s definitely not a good idea to drive around with your dog in the bed of a truck \u2013 the hot metal can burn paws quickly, and more importantly, the dog could fall out and become injured or even killed.<\/p>\n

Find a spot outside in the shade and set up a kiddie pool filled with clean, cool water for your pup.<\/p>\n

A sprinkler can also keep your pup cool! \u00a0 \u00a0\"happy<\/a><\/p>\n

Lay down a wet towel for your dog to lie on and sponge his abdomen, armpits, and feet with cool water.\u00a0 A wet towel does more good on the bottom of your dog than when laid on top of his coat.<\/p>\n

Let your dog dig.\u00a0 Yes, that\u2019s right! Dogs in nature dig their dens for several reasons (to find food, hide, give birth), and one is to keep cool. If it\u2019s possible, locate and designate a shady area where it\u2019s okay for your dog to dig.\u00a0 When my Joshie (a black Lab mix who was abandoned and found me) started digging a hole in our backyard, I kept filling it in and he kept digging it again.\u00a0 Finally, I realized that he needed to keep cool there, so I let him dig it and lie down in it when he needed to keep cool.\u00a0 I named it \u201cJoshie\u2019s Dugout\u201d, and when he passed I put some of his ashes in the hole and planted a laurel bush there. (Love you and still miss you, Joshie!!)<\/p>\n

Let your dog check out the weather.\u00a0 Dogs don\u2019t realize that it\u2019s hot outside until they get out there.\u00a0 Allow your dog to step outside and feel for himself that it\u2019s too hot.\u00a0 Instinctually, he will understand that the walk will be short or he will simply come back inside where it\u2019s cool and comfortable.<\/p>\n

If your dog is primarily an outside dog he will need shade and plenty of fresh water at all times. A dog house is not suitable for keeping him cool as there is no air movement.\u00a0 Outdoor dogs often rest under the porch or deck or under a shady tree, so ensure that there are cool, shady places where he can be comfortable and safe. I have never had an all \u201coutside\u201d dog, but my rule would be: if you are not comfortable outside in your yard on a hot day, your dog won\u2019t be either.
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