12 Aug Keeping Pets Safe in The Heat
The summer months can be uncomfortable—even dangerous—for pets and people. It’s difficult enough simply to cope with rising temperatures, let alone thick humidity, but things really get tough in areas that are hit with the double blow of intense heat and storm-caused power outages, sometimes with tragic results.
We can help you keep your pets safe and cool this summer. Follow our tips for helping everyone in your family stay healthy while hot.
Basic Summer Safety
Never leave your pets in a parked car. Not even for a minute! Not even with your car running and the air conditioner on. On a hot summer day, heat levels can rise rapidly and become dangerous very fast. For example, on an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car with the windows cracked open can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes the temperature can reach 120 degrees. this can cause a pet to have irreversible organ damage or even die.
Being Careful of Humidity
It is important to remember the heat but we can not forget about the humidity. This can affect your pet just as much as the sun. Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves and their temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels—very quickly.
How to Tell If a Dog is in Danger
Taking a dog’s temperature is the best way to quickly find out if it is having a serious problem. Dogs’ temperatures should not reach over 104 degrees. if your dog’s temperature does exceed this limit your dog may be having a heat stroke. It will be good to put a cold washcloth on the ground for them to lay on and put one on top to reduce temperatures from rising.
Limit Exercise on Hot Days
Be careful when exercising your pet. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. On super hot days, try to exercise in the early mornings or late evenings. and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears, who are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets, who typically have difficulty breathing. Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet’s paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible. If you would not walk barefoot on the cement do not make your dog. Always carry water with you to keep your dog from dehydrating.
Provide Ample Shade and Water
Any time your dog is outside make sure they have protection from the heat and the sun. They must have plenty of fresh cold water. Adding ice to your dog’s water is good on the occasion of a heatwave. Having tree shade or tarps is ideal for a pet’s shade because they do not obstruct airflow.
Cool Your Pet Inside and Out
Give your dog a refreshing cold snack that will cool off the inside of your pet. Freezing a little yogurt or fruit to give to your dog and always provide cold water to cool off the inside and outside.
Watch For Signs of Heat Stroke
Extreme temperatures can cause heatstroke. Some signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure, and unconsciousness. Animals are at particular risk for heatstroke if they are very old, very young, overweight, not conditioned to prolonged exercise, or have heart or respiratory disease. Some breeds of dogs—like boxers, pugs, shih tzus and other dogs and cats with short muzzles—will have a much harder time breathing in extreme heat.
How to Treat Pet Suffering From Heatstroke
Move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to their head, neck, and chest, or run cool (not cold) water over them. Let them drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Take them directly to a veterinarian.
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