Summer Heat and Your Dog

 Is your dog ready for summer?

As the summer weather draws near, we can feel many changes. More activity of animals, nature is changing and we also feel more energized. 

The beginning of spring is such a wonderful time that sometimes we forget that the temperatures are rising and we as humans can just turn on the fan or AC if it gets too hot. But what about our pets? 

Dog shade

In this blog we will talk about dog and the summer heat.

First of all what are the symptoms that we should look for in our dogs that might tell us the temperature is starting to be too hot?

Here are some signs that should light up warning lights for us:

  1. Restlessness or agitation for no apparent reason
  2. Whining, barking or vocalizing for no apparent reason
  3. Panting (excessive, prolonged or recurrent; may start, stop, then start again)
  4. Stretching
  5. Excessive drooling (hypersalivation)
  6. Labored or difficult breathing (respiratory distress; dyspnea)
  7. Confusion; disorientation
  8. Lack of coordination (ataxia)
  9. Lethargy, listlessness, dullness
  10. Weakness

If you see some of these signs this mans your dog is trying to tell you "Hey I'am hot"!

Of-course we should do all we can to prevent these things from happening before these sign appear. How can we do this?

Some simple ways to prevent:

  1. Make sure there is sufficient shade in where ever your dog is located.
  2. Do not leave your dog in the car especially not in the hot hours of the day. If for any reason you need to leave your dog in the car I.E. dog competitions try using car shades.
  3. If there is no shade in the area where your dog is held make your own dog shade.
  4. Leave plenty of water for your dog to drink.
  5. Putting ice in your dogs water is always a good idea because they like to chew and then you cool them down and hydrate them.
  6. Make sure during the very hot days to check every couple of hours to see that your dog has water and enough shade.

Your dog should have a comfortable place to lay down in the shade. Make sure if you have a shaded area that it is in a place where your dog will feel comfortable to rest. Dogs get excited by there surroundings so it is important that the rest area is somewhere that your dog can really relax and not be irritated.

Summer is a great time and you can now take more walks and play outside with your dog. But don't forget to keep COOL!

Find more shade solutions here.

 

 

 

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