Beware of dog days of summer dangers
This summer has certainly had hot temperatures. Although many of us enjoy lounging in the sun, it’s important to remember our furry friends may quickly overheat.
With an increased amount of time spent outside, it’s vital to keep animals cool and protected from the heat.
When outside on a hot day, there are many ways to keep your pet cool. By always having access to shade and fresh water, you can help avoid your pet from overheating. A small, inexpensive children’s wading pool can provide your pet with easy access to an area to cool down right on your property. However, remember to never leave your pet unattended near pools or other bodies of water.
There are also a variety of safe, cooling treats that can be given. Some of these include cold carrots, blueberries and bananas. Treats that should be avoided are ice cream and popsicles as they can cause stomach upset. Grapes should never be offered as they are known to cause serious kidney failure.
As long as the ingredients are safe for pets, you can also get creative and make your own pup-sicles. These creative, cool treats are fun for you and your pet, but cool drinking water is the best tactic to stay hydrated on the hot days.
While you may be planning many summer adventures outdoors, it’s important to be mindful of how the heat is affecting animals. With the added fur coat and inability to sweat as humans do, it's difficult for them to control their body temperatures on hot and humid days. By putting your pet in situations where they could overheat, discomfort and serious complications are likely to arise.
Although you may enjoy having company while running errands, it is extremely dangerous to leave an animal in a hot car. Instead, keep them at home with access to a fan, air conditioner, or a cool part of the house.
It’s also important to change their exercise regiment on these hot days.
Avoid walking on hot pavement, as this can be painful and damaging to delicate paws. If the ground feels hot on your hand, then it is too hot for them. Instead, plan to walk early in the morning, later in the evening, or wait to hike on a cooler day.
Similar to humans, animals can have negative effects from overheating. Heat stroke is a serious emergency and it’s important to know how to recognize the signs. If your dog is experiencing excessive drooling and panting, vomiting, dark red gums or respiratory distress during a hot day, they may be experiencing heat stroke. Cats can also be affected by heat stroke and display very similar symptoms.
Unfortunately, some dogs and cats are more prone to heat stroke than others. Those who have short noses such as pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats, as well as overweight or elderly animals, must be extra cautious in hot weather. If your animal begins to show signs of heat stroke, they must be moved to a cool area and offered small amounts of cool water. Regardless of the time of day, it’s important to get your pet directly to a veterinarian for expert care.
As some may say with all of this heat and humidity, we are into the dog days of summer. With lots of fresh water, shade and breaks from the heat, everyone can enjoy the weather. However, it is important to remember that when it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pet.
Laura Gauthier is a veterinary assistant at Central Nova Animal Hospital in Bible Hill and an aspiring veterinarian. With a love for all animals, large and small, she is dedicated to sharing the joy and magic that animals bring.