Too Hot to Handle!

Across the country, soaring temperatures and high humidity are making this a summer to remember, and not in a good way.  These dangerously high temperatures aren't good for anyone, least of all for our pets.  I just wanted to review some things you can do to make sure your pets are comfortable as those thermometers ascend into the triple digits.

Walk your dogs early in the morning and/or late in the evening.  I know this sounds obvious, but the number of people I see out walking their dogs when temperatures are already in the 80's and beyond amazes me. Sidewalk and asphalt temperatures can reach 125 to 140 degrees when the air temperature is 75-85 degrees.  Even grass gets hot!  If the air temperature is 95 degrees, for example, the grass is 10-15 degrees warmer than that!  For those of you walking your reactive dogs at off peak hours and off peak places to avoid running into others, you will definitely be encountering a lot more dog owners out walking at those times too.  Keep that in mind as you decide on what route to take for your training walks. 

Remember, though, that you don't "have to" walk your dog. There are lots of other ways to get your dog exercise.  Everything from tossing a ball down a hallway, to setting up an indoor agility course around your furniture will do. It's also the case that providing your dogs with interactive toys and puzzles will stimulate and exercise their brains enough that they don't need a walk on a really hot day. 

Even dogs who don't like to swim can enjoy a kid's plastic wading pool. Put a couple of inches of cool water in the pool, add in some ice cubes to chase or floating toys, and sit back with a cool drink in the shade to keep an eye on them.  I like to make fun ice cubes and ice licks for my dogs using metal mixing bowls and ice cube trays.  I float cut fruit or veggies (berries, zucchini, carrots, apples) in either the mixing bowl or the ice cube trays and then freeze them. The ice cubes will pop right out into your wading pool, but you may need to run water over your metal mixing bowl sized ice lick to get it to come out! These colorful ice floats make getting into the wading pool that much more fun.

Plus, the quickest way to cool a dog (or yourself) is by getting your feet wet! Soaking your feet cools you off quickly, as does water on your head. For your dogs, wet a cloth and stroke their heads, or pour a small amount of cool (not cold) water on their heads. Some dogs like to lay down in water to cool off, but there are exceptions to the "just let them lay in the cool water" rule.

If your dog has overheated, don't pour cold water on them or immerse them in cold water. Doing so causes blood vessels to constrict which just keeps the warmth inside them. Opt for cool water on their heads, armpits and groin with a cloth, and on their feet if they can't stand up in a pool of cool water. Give them cool or tepid water to drink from a squirt bottle, or in very small amounts in a bowl. Don't let them gulp water and don't give them water that's too cold. You can also feed them frozen treats like pupsicles and doggie ice cream to cool them down. 

Create cooler spaces for your dogs. Use fans, cooling pads, cooling vests, and air-conditioning where available to keep everyone comfortable on hot days.  Close those blinds and limit your exercise and that of your dog to help everyone stay cool. Be mindful that puppies and senior dogs can overheat (and get cold!) faster than younger dogs.  Watch for signs of heat stress.

Panting on a hot day is normal. But if the tongue is lolling all the way out, looks larger and redder than normal and is accompanied by heavy panting and/or labored breathing/inability to catch their breath, your dog is experiencing heat stress. Get them indoors where it is cooler and cool them off slowly as outlined above. If you notice them drooling excessively, having pale gums, stumbling around/ataxic, having seizures, etc., though, take them to the vet immediately.

Move those outdoor water bowls, crates, dog houses, and raised beds to shadier locations through out the day. Any water bowl can get hot, but metal water bowls outside can burn a dog on a hot day.  Water left outside should be located in a shady area, along with those beds, dog houses, etc. If you don't have a shady area to place your dog's things AND they need to be left outside during the heat of the day, invest in an awning to put their necessary  things underneath, or, better yet, leave them indoors in their crates and hire a dog walker to come let them out to relieve themselves, and bring them back indoors to play before going back into their crates until you return home.

I realize a lot of this may seem like common sense to you, but if me saying it again saves one dog's life, then it was well worth repeating.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Here are Ozzie and Desi, 4th of July, 2016.  Desi didn't care for the wading pool, Ozzie, on the other hand, thought the ice cubes were delicious right before he laid down in the cool inch of water.