It’s officially summer time!! Hot days, long nights and the kids are home from school. What do you do with your furry kids? Solution: Today we are going to be talking all about fun things you treat your pups to and why not throw some water safety tips in there for good measure.
Most dogs are sensible in the heat, but remember that they can easily overheat when playing games and running, so be careful when playing games or exercising them. To be safe, it is best to walk your dog during the cooler morning and evening hours in the summer months. This will also avoid sore paws from walking on hot tarmac.
While we love a sunny day, we have to be careful with our canine companions as they can easily develop heat stroke. Heat stroke occurs when your dog cannot lose excess heat, causing the body to reach dangerous temperatures. A body temperature rise of only 4 degrees can be enough to kill!
Being in an environment that is too hot or humid can lead to heatstroke, especially if your dog is running or playing. This can include, but is not limited to, a hot day, being enclosed in a warm room (conservatories especially can become lethally hot very rapidly, even on cool but sunny days), and being left in the car.
Some pets are more at risk from heatstroke as they find it harder to get rid of excessive heat. These include pets who:
- Suffer from obesity
- Have an underlying heart or lung disease
- Have a short, flat nose (brachycephaly)
- Have a thick hair coat
If you see your pet is acting strangely, heavily panting, seems uncoordinated or anxious, is salivating more than usual or has darkened gums, make sure to get them out of the sun and cooled down. Serious heatstroke can develop rapidly, and can progress to organ failure and even death, so if you think your dog might be suffering from heat stroke, get them to your local vet as soon as possible.
Recent Comments