Hot enough for you?
As Ace and his good friend Joey can tell you, it has been pretty darned hot -- meaning it's time for our annual list of tips to help your dog cope with summertime heat.
For starters: Make sure your dog always has water, and never leave him in a parked car.
Even with the windows cracked, even in the shade, a parked automobile can quickly become a furnace.
On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. At 110 degrees, pets are in danger of heatstroke, according to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
A recent study by the Stanford University School of Medicine showed that temperatures inside cars can rise dramatically even on mild days. With outside temperatures as low as 72 degrees, researchers found that a car's interior temperature can heat up by an average of 40 degrees within an hour, with 80 percent of that increase in the first 30 minutes.
While people can roll down windows or turn on the air conditioner, pets cannot -- and they don't sweat like we do, either. Their sweat glands, which are on their nose and the pads of their feet, are inadequate for cooling during hot days. Panting and drinking water helps cool them, but if they only have overheated air to breathe, dogs can suffer brain and organ damage after just 15 minutes.
Short-nosed breeds, like pugs and bulldogs, young pets, old pets and pets with weight, respiratory, cardiovascular or other health problems are especially susceptible to heat-related stress.
If you are going out, bring plenty of water along -- for you and your dog.
If the dog is staying home, leave a little air conditioning on for him, and make sure when he is outside, he has a good supply of water and a shaded area.
A visit to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer check-up is a good idea, including a test for heartworm, if your dog isn't on year-round preventive medication. You can also ask your vet about a safe and effective regimen for those summertime pests, fleas and ticks.
Try to take your dog out to play in the cool of early morning or evening. And keep in mind that sidewalks and asphalt can really heat up.
When walking your dog, steer clear of areas that may have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals and be alert for coolant or other automotive fluid leaking from your vehicle. Animals are attracted to the sweet taste, and ingesting just a small amount can be fatal, according to the ASPCA, whose complete list of summertime tips can be found here.
If you're considering shaving your dog, never go down to the skin. A dog's coat provides protection from the sun.
Signs of overheating in pets include excessive panting and drooling, mild weakness and an elevated body temperature. Keep a closer eye on your dog during these steamy days of summer.
Got some tips of your own? Pass them on.
(Photo by Tamara S. Granger)
Comments
I keep a small kids wading pool in my fenced backyard for my Lab.
Although I live on the river and she can go for a swim to cool off,she sometimes just goes and sits or lies in the wading pool and she doesn`t even have to wear her life jacket.
I know.
Don`t laugh.
They don`t all do what they`re supposed to do.
So much for stereotypes.
Mine (needs?) likes to wear a life jacket when swimming.
Posted by: MG | June 10, 2008 4:52 PM
Nothing surprises me. I met a beautiful Golden Retriever on Saturday who does not know how to swim. His human was talking with some other humans about how to get him swimming. The best answer? Take him to a lake where other dogs are swimming and let him get the hang of it by watching.
We have a Beagle who hates water. Won't swim in it, won't go out in the rain--giving him a bath is quite a battle of wills. Other dogs spent Saturday afternoon frolicking in sprinklers and wading pools and digging in big piles of ice. The Beagle? Went and laid down under a bench where it was shady and refused to move until food was offered. I can't even begin to tell you how offended he was by the ocean when we took him there last year. He's just a dirty dog.
MG, I figure if your Lab wants a life jacket, she should have one. She probably knows something we don't know, and we can assume she's not telling. You can send her over here if you want to. Maybe she could convince Mr. Clean of the virtues of going into the water.
Posted by: Anne | June 10, 2008 10:46 PM
I get my Lil' Fluff Sugar's hair cut a bit shorter. She is NOT a fan of water, so I soak a face towel (she's a bichon)
in cold water, wring it a bit, and wipe her down. She loves it, and turns over so I don't forget her belly. Because of heath reasons (mine) we stay in on all spare the air days.
Posted by: Deja Jackson | June 12, 2008 12:50 PM
Thanks John- for the record Joey likes water but only when he can touch bottom!
Posted by: Joey | June 17, 2008 8:41 AM