By Loree Walden
It’s getting HOT outside… and I know we all want our 4-legged family members to be safe & healthy, so here’s a few precautions to help make that happen.
Plain and simple, heat can be a canine killer. As our temperatures soar into the 80s, 90s, and even higher, it’s important to remember dogs are susceptible to hot-weather conditions like heatstroke, footpad burns, sunburn, and dehydration. We have to take precautions to help our furry family buddies stay safe—like limiting outside activities and taking walks earlier in the morning or later in the evening. (There have been a number of mountain lion attacks during these hours, so please be careful!)
Don’t let your dog spend too much time outside on hot surfaces like cement and asphalt, where they run a high risk of burnt paw pads. Always make sure they have access to fresh cool water, especially when you are on a walk.
Heat safety with summer activity is a serious business for dogs because their body temperature can rise quickly, causing serious injury. Proper care during the hot summer months should also include grooming and giving them a shorter haircut to help prevent overheating, but never shave to the skin as they need at least one inch of hair to prevent sunburns. Remember dogs with darker fur heat up faster, too!
As I said above, hot asphalt can burn a dog’s feet! Asphalt absorbs enough heat to injure the extra-thick flesh on a dog’s paw quickly. If the temperature outside is 77 degrees, the asphalt is 125 degrees. If the temperature outside is 87 degrees, the asphalt is 143 degrees! At 125 degrees, skin destruction can occur in sixty seconds.
When going outside, press the back of your hand firmly against the asphalt or cement for seven seconds. If you can keep your hand there the whole time, you’re good to go. BUT if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them!
If you’ve never seen a picture of what a dog’s paws look like when they’ve been burnt by asphalt, consider yourself lucky because it’s awful! It’s very painful for them, and no one wants to put their best friend through something like that.
Remember your dog’s body is much closer to the ground than yours is, and they’re more vulnerable to heat from the ground. Temperatures at two and three feet above the ground can be twenty degrees hotter than at six feet.
Heatstroke is one of summer’s most frequent canine illnesses, and one of the most lethal! Pet owners should know the signs of heatstroke and how to treat it. Symptoms might include elevated body temperature (body temps can soar as high as 110, causing irreversible brain damage or death), vigorous panting, unsteady gait, physical depression or agitation, thick saliva or froth at the mouth, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, collapsing and signs of shock.
If you see any of these signs, get your dog inside immediately and wet them with cool water. Don’t use ice or cold water because it’s counterproductive, as cooling them too fast can cause other life-threatening conditions. Be sure to take them to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Lastly, NEVER leave your dog in a hot car. Think about when you get in your car on a hot day and how mind-blowing the heat is. My guess is you’re going to turn the AC on as fast as you can to cool yourself down!
Thousands of dogs die in cars every year because the temperature inside a car can become deadly within minutes. If the temperature outside is 80 degrees, within 10 minutes it will reach 99 degrees. Within 30 minutes, it will hit 114 degrees. If it’s 90 degrees outside, within 10 minutes it will reach 109 degrees, and within 30 minutes it will be 124 degrees.
How many times have you parked and said, “I’m just going to run in for a second,” and there’s a long lineto checkout, so suddenly that “just a second” turns into a couple of minutes. What’s happening in your car during that time? It’s turning into an oven and your dog is in it! Bottom line regarding this: just don’t leave your dog in a hot car, even with the windows open, it’s not worth the risk!
Here’s the reality: we take steps to keep ourselves safe in the great outdoors, so, taking some extra steps to taking care of your four-legged best friend outside will help make this summer one of fun and adventure for both of you.
