Dogs can’t sweat like us. They don’t have sweat glands in most of their body – only a few sweat glands on their paw pads. So really, the only way they can cool themselves off is by panting, which isn’t sustainable for long periods of time. That’s why we want you to be extra careful during the hot summer months. Don’t take any chances with your pets – it’s always better to be cool than sorry!
Here are a few ways you can keep your pets safe in the summer heat.
Keep It Cool
If the temperature is above 75 degrees, you can’t be too careful outside. If you have a little dog, you do not ever want to leave them in the car, ever, even for 5 or 10 minutes, could be a fatal mistake. If they’re playing in the backyard, you have to make sure there’s plenty of cool water. You have to make sure there’s shade. When you have your dog out there and it’s 80, 90 degrees out there, high humidity, they can get heat stroke very, very quickly.
Warnings Signs to Look Out For
If you feel like your dog’s getting overheated outside, panting excessively, getting weak, lethargic, get them into the air conditioning right away. Cool them down. If the panting is not calming down after 5 or 10 minutes, or you feel like they’re really having trouble breathing, get them to the vet right away.
Heat stroke is nothing to mess around with. Just a few minutes in a hot car can actually be fatal for your dog. Please don’t take any chances. We don’t want to see your pet getting heat stroke this year.
TL;DR
Be extra careful this summer. Don’t take any chances with your pup out in the heat. If you have any concerns at all, come see us at Noah’s Ark Animal Clinic.