Unlike us, dogs cannot change into their summer outfits to cool down. They cannot just take off their fur and put it back on when winter is back (you may think the solution is to shave them, but this can do more damage than good to their skin and body temperature). So there are some key things we could do to cool them down if you don’t have a pool or air-conditioning:
1. Only exercise with your dog early in the morning or the late afternoon/evening when before the weather heats up or after it cools down. Don’t even think about it if the temperature is 30 degrees Celsius or above!
2. On your walks, always remember to test the heat of the ground with your hand or standing on it barefoot. If it is unbearably hot, your dog feels it too and will likely end up with painful, burnt paw pads.
3. Ensure they ALWAYS have lots of cool water. They are much more likely to become dehydrated on a hot day.
4. Give them things to help cool down. Clam shell pools are always useful because they can have a dip every now and then – their tummy is often one of the best spots to help cool down. You could even freeze some Kongs, carrots, homemade treats in ice, etc. I’e taken my dogs raw food, diluted it and frozen it for them before and they spent ages licking the cupcake sized ice blocks.
5. Always make sure your dog has lots of shade to lie in during down time so they don’t overheat in the sun and potentially get sun stroke. Speaking of the heat from the sun, leaving your dog in a parked car on a warm day is a definite NO NO! Temperatures in cars are higher than outside, and the result of leaving your dog in these temperatures can lead to brain damage, or even death! There are many stories of good Samaritans breaking a car window to save an overheating dog and get it medical treatment.
How do you know if your dog has heatstroke?
Keep your eye out for the following symptoms:
1. Muddy pink gums (not their normal bright pink);
2. Heavy panting with occasional foaming at the mouth;
3. Disorientation, and;
4. Increased heart rate.
If your dog is showing these symptoms, take then to the vet immediately! If there is any delay in the ability to access the vet, put them in the shade where possible, increase the ventilation for them (perhaps using a fan) and apply cool water and a cool towel. Do NOT apply ice. This causes the blood vessels to constrict and takes longer for the dog to cool down. seek medical treatment immediately. Keep reapplying the cool towel to your dog and ensure they have water nearby (without forcing them to drink it).
Remember, just because we are at a comfortable temperature doesn’t mean they are!
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