Taking care of your pup during the dog days of summer
Hikes, walks, and playing outside on a nice summer day - nothing gets a dog's tail wagging more.
But during the dog days of summer, it’s important for pet owners to know when hot is too hot.
Veterinarian at 16th Avenue Animal Hospital in Markham, Ont., Dr. Stephanie Hu, advises to be cautious, especially when temperatures hit the mid 20s and high 30s.
“That’s when you want to avoid not just being outside, but being in a car and confined spaces,” said Hu.
When you leave your dog outside for too long, they become at risk for a heart stroke. Dr. Hu added that it becomes even more dangerous for puppies and older dogs.
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Dr. Hu shared signs to look out for if you’re ever on a walk, and feel like your furry friend may be experiencing heat stroke.
“Some signs to look out for are increased respiratory rate, panting, stupor, vomiting, and diarrhea,” said Hu. In serious cases, seizuring can occur, and sometimes even death.
While pet-owners aren’t out to intentionally cause harm to their furry loved ones, the hospital said they still see a handful of pet owners bringing their pups in after being outside for a long period of time.
To ensure your pup is safe this season, Dr. Hu provided some tips to be mindful of, below.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Dr. Hu said it’s important to go easy on your pups that have any type of pre-existing medical condition. That could include recent surgeries, a heart murmur, heart condition, and any type of diseases they might have.
Breed of Dog
Dog breeds with shorter noses, like pugs and bulldogs, tend to have a difficult time panting, especially in the heat. Panting is how a dog controls their body temperature and cools down, so these breeds have a harder time regulating their heat compared to other dogs.
READ MORE: If you’re hot, they’re hot – here are 6 things to help keep your dog cool
Time of the day
Timing your hikes to be earlier in the morning, or later at night can help as well.
Other things to be mindful of, according to Dr. Hu, are asphalt on the paws of dogs, because during the summer it becomes easy to get burned on walks. Also, short haired dogs and hairless dogs are more susceptible to sunburn. To help with this, she advises applying baby sunblock with an SPF of 30+ for dogs 30 minutes before heading outside. For double-coated dogs, like Pomeranians and Huskies, it might be worth keeping them groomed and clipped to keep them cool.
It’s always a good idea to carry a bowl and water anytime you head outside with your pup, and if you do sense your dog may be showing signs of heat stroke, it’s important to get them into cold water immediately, and to seek help from a vet or animal hospital.
