Hot Weather And Caring For Your Four Legged Friend.

calderbank7
May 16, 2022
5 min read

Now the weather is getting warmer here are a few tips and tricks of how to care for your fur babies in the warmer season.

Like Children they need help with regulating their body temperature.

Unlike us who have the choice of taking our coats off in warmer weather, they are born with it. Yes a lot of breeds malt to remove their winter coats ready for summer but as you know it can still be very warm. The other way they manage their body temperature is by panting. This will only go so far and hence why it is important for us to keep an eye on them to ensure they are not headed for a heat stroke.

Tip #1 - Offer Them Shade

Try and limit the time your dog spends in the sun. Like children they need shade to help them keep cool. Never walk your dogs at the height of the days sun. There is several reasons for this. One - it is to hot for them to be out and about. Two - the pavements themselves will be far to hot for their paws and will cause injury. A great way to test this is if you can stand on the hot pavement in bare feet? It gives you and idea of what you are expecting from them. Also tarmac tends to melt at high temperatures leading to further undue injury to your dog. Three - you run the risk of giving your dog heat stroke especially if you are not able to cool them down sufficiently in time. Which if you are walking out and about you will tend to not have aids to help you do this.

"Signs of burned pads

Try the 5-second test - if it's too hot for your hands, it's too hot for paws! You can also look out for...

Limping or refusing to walk
Licking or chewing at the feet
Pads darker in colour
Missing part of pad
Blisters or redness" - RSPCA

Tip #2 - Water

Water is a great aid to help them keep cool. Have a paddling pool in your back garden if you are able to. Not all dogs love water but you will be surprised how many actually do or even grow to like it especially in summer. Also make sure they have plenty of drinking water available to them. Like I said earlier dogs pant to regulate their body temperature this in turn will make them thirsty as they lose moisture from the panting.

Water is an excellent tool to prevent a dog from getting heat stroke. If you see they are suffering then gently cool them off by wetting their underside. It is myth that you wet the top of the dog running along the spine. The underbelly is the best way to reduce their body heat as quickly as possible. Do not use frozen objects as this also could be damaging. Just gently keep the underside wet with cool tepid water and you should start to see their panting reduce. Then take them to your vet to check no further damage has occurred.

"Warning signs of heatstroke

Heavy panting
Excessively drooling
The dog appears lethargic, drowsy or uncoordinated
Collapsed or vomiting

Emergency First Aid for dogs

Dogs suffering from heatstroke urgently need to have their body temperature lowered gradually for the best chance of survival.

Here's what to do:

Move the dog to a shaded and cool area
Immediately pour cool (not cold to avoid shock) water over the dog. If possible, you can also use wet towels or place them in the breeze of a fan
Allow the dog to drink small amounts of cool water
Continue to pour cool water over the dog until their breathing starts to settle, but not too much that they start shivering

Once the dog is cool, take them to the nearest vet as a matter of urgency.

Some types of dogs are more prone to heatstroke, like very old or young dogs, dogs with thick, heavy coats or dogs with very short flat faces like pugs and bulldog types. Dogs with certain diseases or on some types of medication are also more at risk." - RSPCA

Tip #3 - Seaside

We all love going to the seaside especially with our best friend (dogs). Most dogs can cope with this especially the ones with snouts. For the Brachycephalic breeds you need to be aware of the dangers of the sand to their eyes. These breeds tend to suffer more from eye ulcers and having sand flying around is a perfect way to sustain this injury. Whilst I have never tried it myself I am aware that there are doggy 'sunglasses' out there to protect them from this. Their are plenty of choices out there to chose from. The cost of these is a small price to pay for a long term painful injury.

Tip #4 - Cooling Aids

There are plenty of aids to help your dog keep cool. My favourite and most successful is the cool vest. I use these all the time with my pugs. To add further cooling down ability you can ensure their is a fan on whilst they wear their vests, this acts similar to aircon for them. You can also get cooling mats of various forms. The best one I found through Amazon was one that cooled when you lay on it. Not entirely sure how this worked but it saved the necessity of having to put it in the freezer prior to use. As mentioned before a fan is a great aid but make sure cables are not around for them to chew especially if you have a puppy! I also use the cool vests when out walking with them. You will be amazed how quickly they can get warm and even too hot. I also carry a couple of water bottles as they do tend to drink more in warmer weather.

Tip #5 - Caution

Whilst rivers, streams, lakes and ponds are always a welcome site to help cool your dog down be very careful. These can contain some seriously dangerous bacteria and harmful plants, substances that can make your dogs ill. As a tip I always ensure the water is flowing and not stagnant. Whilst inviting it may look you really do not know what is lurking within!

Enjoy Summer!!

Whilst my list is not exhaustive and I am sure there are plenty more tips and tricks that you may all be aware of. I have tried to bring the main areas of concern together along with some helpful aids that you may or may not have been aware of. Please add more in the comments that would be helpful to others in the community. Finally, thank you for taking the time to read this and hope you found some of it if not all useful.