10 Tips to Keep Your Pets Cool During a Hot Day
SOME LIKE IT HOT. Your pets won’t. I’m sure by now you’re getting bored of reading countless articles on keeping your dogs and cats safe in the warm weather months. However, with multiple recent reports of animal and human deaths associated with heat stroke, the mission of educating all people of the dangers of overheating is clearly not over. Please take the time to share the following tips on hot weather safety to each pet owner you know… even if you think they are already informed. If these tips save just one life, then they’re worth re-reading and sharing.
Check out more summer safety tips for pets here.
1. Avoid outdoor walks with your pet during the hottest part of the day, between 12pm-3pm. In especially humid weather or during a heat advisory, the extended hours of 10am-5pm can also be risky for your pet.
2. Be especially cautious if you have a “smoosh-faced”(brachycephalic) dog such as an English or French bulldog, Boston terrier, pug, or boxer. These adorable flat-faced breeds have a difficult time cooling down due to the genetic configuration of their respiratory tract. Additionally, take extra caution with dark-furred animals or those with thick, heavy coats as they retain more heat. Puppies, geriatric pets, obese animals, giant breeds, and sick and debilitated animals (especially those with heart and lung diseases) are also at increased risk of overheating.
3. Avoid hot, dark surfaces such as asphalt. You’ve seen those videos featuring a raw egg quickly sizzling when cracked over hot pavement, right? Imagine how hot that would feel on your dog’s feet?! Dogs’ sensitive paw pads can blister and burn in less than a minute when in contact with these hot surfaces. Try to stick to lighter sidewalks in the shade or grass during walks with your pooch.
4. Do not leave your dog in a parked car. I repeat, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A PARKED CAR! Not even with the windows cracked or if your car is parked in the shade. The temperature inside a parked car during warm weather can reach up to 20-40 degrees higher than the outdoors. Imagine being trapped in a scorching metal box for even a couple minutes without an effective
means of cooling yourself off. And in a fur coat!
Each year, several pets die when left too long in a hot vehicle. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PET IN A PARKED CAR! Get this imperative message out to others by sharing this handout from the ASPCA.
5. Provide your pet access to cool and shaded areas when outside in the yard. Or consider leaving them indoors altogether. Also note that even when inside during the summer, pets require cool ambient temperatures too.
6. Provide plenty of fresh cold water for your pet in multiple locations. Carry a water bottle with you during walks. Pets can quickly dehydrate in hot weather and require more water than usual during hot weather to maintain hydration and regulate body temperature.
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7. Swimming and other water activities (such as playing with water guns or ice cubes) can be great ways to cool off while getting exercise. However, not all dogs are bikini-ready… not because of their bods, but because not all are strong swimmers.
Consider purchasing your dog a life jacket, especially if your pup will be joining you in deep pools or lakes. Alternatively, a kiddie pool in the back yard can be a fun, safer way of cooling down.
8. Keep your fluffy doggie groomed in the warm months to facilitate cooling, but do not shave. Exposure of the skin to excessive sunlight can promote sunburn.
That being said, use caution with human sunscreens, as many contain zinc oxide, which are toxic to pets, potentially causing damage to red blood cells (hemolytic anemia) if ingested. Some also contain salicylates, which are toxic to cats. Instead, aim for veterinary products, as these are free of toxic products. Ask your vet which products he or she carries.
9. Keep kitties cool too. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof should be left to Elizabeth Taylor in that killer white silk slip. Meow! Though cats are less likely to develop heat stroke in comparison to dogs, they can still be at risk for overheating. Moreover, cats with white ears are especially vulnerable to sunburn and the subsequent development of squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer linked to sun exposure in cats.
Additionally, as in dogs, flat-faced cat breeds (such as Persians) are at increased risk of overheating as they cannot regulate their body temperature as easily as other breeds. These cats are best left indoors with the A/C during sunny days.
10. Know the signs of overheating, or heat stroke: excessive panting or gasping, weakness, collapse, seizures, vomiting or diarrhea. These signs can indicate organ damage secondary to overheating. If your pet displays these signs following exposure to heat, contact your local veterinarian immediately! While you seek veterinary attention, offer your pet cool (not ice cold) water. Apply cold water to your pet’s paw pads and drape a towel soaked in cool water over your pet. Educating yourself will aid you in taking quick action at the first hint of heat stroke in your pet and will hopefully enable you to prevent your dog or cat from overheating in the first place.
Check out more summer safety tips for pets here.
Now that you’ve refreshed yourself on hot weather safety tips for your pet, put on your fave Ray Ban aviators, pour yourself some lemonade, and enjoy the summer! ☀
– Maranda Elswick, DVM
