Preventing Heatstroke in Dogs
Tips for Keeping Your Dog Safe During the Hot Summer Weather
Jul 22, 2007
Enjoying the summer sun can be a lot of fun, but fun can turn to disaster if proper precautions are not taken to protect pets and people from the heat.
Preventing heatstroke is something all pet owners need to thick about during the summer months. Heatstroke is dangerous and can be deadly if it goes untreated. Pets need access to plenty of shade and cool drinking water at all times in order to prevent heatstroke. Below are additional tips and advice for preventing this dangerous condition.
- Dogs and cars: We love to take our dogs for car rides but leaving your pet unattended in a car can be deadly. We've all heard this before, but the temperature inside a vehicle can rise quickly making the car a dangerous place to leave pets. According to the Humane Society the temperature inside a car will rise 30 degrees a minute if parked in the sun, on a hot, humid day . If the outside temperature is 85 degrees, and a car is parked with the windows cracked, the temperature inside the car will be 102 degrees within 10 minutes. These temperatures are dangerous, it is not safe to leave your dog in the car for even a quick errand.
- Don't exercise during the heat of the day: Dogs love to play and exercise, especially with their human friend,because of this they will never say that it is too hot outside to go for a run or play fetch. It is up to the human to see that Fido is panting hard and stop the game. Dogs do not have the cooling system that a human has, they cool themselves mainly by panting. It is safer for Fido to wait for the sun to go down before playing outside during the Summer.
- Dogs left in pens or tethered: The summer is especially dangerous for outside dogs. Dogs left in pens or dogs that are tethered or chained suffer from boredom and frustration. These dogs are also the most in danger of heatstroke because shade moves with the rotation of the Earth. These dogs are also notorious for spilling their water. A tethered or chained dog can get tangled and not be able to reach shade or water. Monitor outside dogs and make sure they always have access to shade, shelter, and water.
- Monitor older pets: Senior pets are more susceptible to heatstroke. If they are outside be sure to monitor them at all times. Older pets should be kept primarily in the house because they are not able to regulate their body temperature as well.
- Grooming: Keep long haired animals clipped. The recommended length is about one inch, this will leave some insulation and enough protection from sunburn. Matted fur needs to go, mats trap heat. Keep pets brushed out to keep the fur healthy and mat free.
- Blow dryers: Heatstroke does not have to come from the sun. Some groomers use blow dryers attached to cages in order to dry pets following a bath. If left unattended these animals can become to hot and suffer from heatstroke. Talk to your groomer and make sure animals are not left unattended in the drying cages.
For further information about heatstroke: Heatstroke in Dogs and Cats
The copyright of the article Preventing Heatstroke in Dogs in Pet Care is owned by Charla Dawson. Permission to republish Preventing Heatstroke in Dogs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
