It’s time fur doze lazy, hazy, crazy, days of Summer my pals and all paws aside—I am a snow dog. Dat doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a romp thru da grass on a hot day or a dip in a lake, but dat hot pavement & long walks in da sun are definitely not my bag puppy. I have a feeling dat dis is da case fur most pups, especially my short nosed pals such as da English & Frenchie bulldogs. Unlike hoomans, dogs can’t sweat in the same way in order ta regulate dere temp. A dog’s main cooling system is in his or her paws and tongue.
Yippeeeeeeee Snow!
I’ve never had an episode of heatstroke or anything, though my tolerance fur da heat has waned as I’ve gotten older & fankfully dad has taken note. But other anipals have not been so fortunate in avoiding heatstroke, which can cause serious injury & death even, and da shame of it is, is dat fur many, it could have been avoided if dey hooman(s) had just taken the proper precautions. So if ya haven’t guessed, tadays blog post is gonna focus on keeping us anipals safe from heatstroke or other heat related injury like burned paw pads during those scorching Summer months.
Please Take Heed
Furst off, all dogs need ta be carefully monitored in temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but short-haired breeds and doze with pale skins are particularly vulnerable ta heatstroke, as are short, snub-nosed dogs like Shih Tzus, Pugs and Bulldogs. My foster brofur Sal, at 75-80 lbs, short haired, and pale skinned, is a high risk fur heatstroke pup, and besides da fact dat it’s been scorching in NYC fur da past 2 days he’s da other reason why me and my dad were inspired to write dis post.
Like we says tho, preventing heatstroke is something all pet owners need ta fink about during da summer months. Pets need access ta plenty of shade and cool drinking water at all times in order ta prevent heatstroke. Dat means, do not leave water bowls in da sun; place dem in shaded areas and please avoid metal water dishes cuz dey get hot. As far as shade, remember dat da sun moves around during da day so make certain dere be lots of shade in different parts of da yard. And although dey provide shade, a kennel or dog crate can heat up just as quickly as a car!
Dat brings us ta cars. You’d fink dat dis was common knowledge & needn’t be discussed, but peeps continue ta lock dere pets inside vehicles on hot Summer Days. According ta da Humane Society da temperature inside a car will rise 30 degrees a minute if parked in da sun, on a hot, humid day . These temperatures are dangerous!!! It’s not safe ta leave your dog in da car fur even a quick errand…DON’T DO IT!!!!!!
BOL!!! Seriously though…
Anudder fing not ta do…exercise or walk us pups during the heat of the day. we love our hoomans and unless were deathly ill will never turn down da opportunity ta send time with ‘em and play games with ‘em so it’s up ta our hooman parents ta make sure dey & we don’t over do it. da best time for ‘walkies’ during the day is when the heat and humidity is lower; early morning and late afternoon. Concrete and tarmac pathways can get very hot and can be painful on a dog’s paw pads.
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I mentioned dat my tolerance fur heat has waned over da years & dat’s important cuz OLDER pets, I’m ten years young, are more susceptible to heatstroke. If dey are outside be sure ta monitor dem AT ALL TIMES. One udder fing ta watch out fur is da length of ya pups hair. On long haired pups like myself da recommended length is about one inch. Dat leaves some insulation and enough protection from sunburn. Matted fur needs ta go, mats trap heat.
Oh Boy dat lake sure does look inviting! And dis what i fink of dat “No Swimming” sign.
If forbid, a doggie or cat does suffer heatstroke take ‘em to the vet as soon as possible. Symptoms of heatstroke are vomiting and diarrhea, rapid breathing and excessive panting, along with warm, dry skin. If his gums are pink or gray instead on a normal healthy red-pink coloration, WORRY! Initially, get ‘em out of the sun, place ‘em in a bowl of cool water and gently rub dere underbelly. Don’t use cold or iced water. Give ‘em only a small amount of water ta drink or let ‘em lick ice cubes.
So be safe out dere my pals & enjoy your Summer da right way! I fur one am making my dad look into cooling jackets & collars and da like for doggies and when we get ‘em, we’ll do a review and maybe post sum pics of me rocking my ‘Cool’ gear.
Great advice Barky! Mom was saying to us just yesterday on the first day of summer that we are now on the way back to winter. We love winter and can do so much more in the cold, mom luvs it too! Glad we are not the only ones. Stay cool, furend!