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Your pets have special needs during the summer when
the temperature and humidity are much higher. Most dogs and cats
wear a heavy fur coat, and have a limited ability to cool
themselves. They have sweat glands only on their paws, so they
cannot sweat to stay cool as humans do. Dogs and cats mostly pant to
cool themselves, and seek cool places to avoid the summer heat.
Never keep your pet in a car,
especially in direct sun, on a summer day
 If
your pet is kept outdoors, make sure he has a shaded place and
plenty of fresh water to drink. Your pet will need much more water
in the summer to replenish what he loses by panting. Many dogs also
enjoy swimming for exercise and to cool down.
Never
keep your pet in a car, especially in direct sun, on a summer day.
Even with the windows slightly open, the temperature inside the car
can soar to 50 degrees or more within minutes. These conditions can
kill a pet in less than 10 minutes.
If you
like to run or do vigorous exercise with your dog, do so at cooler
times of the day such as early morning or evening. If you exercise
during the hotter times of day, your dog will have much more
difficulty cooling himself and could overheat quickly. He will often
try to keep going to keep up with you, and you may not realize that
he is seriously overheating, until his condition is severe.
Dogs with very short hair
have less difficulty keeping themselves cool.
When you
exercise with your dog in the summer, stop and let him drink
frequently. Make sure he is not overweight and is well conditioned
for this activity before the hotter days of summer. You might even
soak him with water before you exercise with him so he can stay
cooler. This is especially important for long-haired or heavy-coated
dogs. Dogs with very short hair have less difficulty keeping
themselves cool.
A dog's
normal body temperature is 100-102 degrees (f). If his rectal
temperature starts to go above 105 degrees, he is approaching a
danger zone of heat stroke. He will often be panting very hard, his
gums may very dark pink or even reddish, and he may feel quite hot
to the touch. If he is in this condition, soak him with cool or cold
water immediately and take him promptly to the nearest veterinarian.
This is an emergency situation, and requires immediate care.
Source:
Dr. Laurie Green Pet Care Information Centre
www.petcare.umn.edu |
