11/07/2025
‼️It's that time of the year again 🐕 PLEASE SHARE and take a minute and read. Some useful info, tips, updates from dog welfare experts with experiences in hot summer temperatures
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☀️The human body reacts to high heat by sweating, a natural cooling process, however, dogs do not have such cooling system, the only place with sweat glands is the dog’s tongue and their pads. The natural cooling process that dog can provide for himself is panting. Their natural coat provides certain protection too.
☀️ Owners who get their pets a "SUMMER SHORT CUTS” at the groomers, please think twice before you take this protection away from the dog. Allow at least 1,5 to 2 inches of coat on naturally longer haired dogs.
☀️ When the dog gets overheated and doesn’t get enough water and can't properly cool himself, the blood in the system suddenly doesn’t get enough oxygen, starts to thicken, but by the dog’s more excessive panting the heart needs to do harder and faster job, this will start causing a blood clots, result is the dog’s confusion, fading and unconsciousness all of this often leads as far as death or at least lasting health issues.
First signs are, excessive panting, discomfort, drawling, bright red gums, glossy eyes, very dry and hot nose, then diarrhoea and vomiting, fading.
WHAT TO DO DURING THE HOT DAYS :
💧walk your dog early mornings and later evenings, or very short “wee” walks in a grassy field with trees crating occasional shade.
💧you can travel in a car to a place where is plenty of shade, river etc, and bring plenty of water.
💧do a research on home/indoor activities to keep your dog busy, if he is used to long walks.
💧if you have no access to a garden/patio and you live in the middle of the town and can not carry your dog to a toilet place, purchase fabric breathable “doggy boots” so he doesn’t get his pads burned! And make the walk as short as possible
💧make sure, your dog has always acces to water a wet towel to lay on is always good idea, or a cool pads
💧be extra cautious around elderly dogs, they will probably need even less outing
💧it is OK to freeze a licky mat with yummy frozen fruit/veg puree etc, to give frozen carrots, apples etc for dogs to SLOWLY nibble on.
IN CASE OF OVERHEATING/HEATSTROKE
⚠️💧If you happen to have an overheated dog or a dog with heatstroke, NEVER pour cold water over an entire body straight away! As you risk the dogs body to go into a shock.
💧Start cooling the dogs pads at first and ears and offer small amounts of water to drink, you can drip the water on his tongue, just not too much, then move onto pourig the water over the dog's legs until you start making the entire body wet, make sure you get the water through the fur onto the skin, and seek the vet.
💧leaving your dog in a car is a no no! It doesn’t even have to be such a hot day, but leaving your car on the sun, or even in the shade, the temperature inside can very quickly rise up to 65 degrees, if not more!
💧if you can not leave the TOP of your hand on the pavement for 10 seconds it’s too hot for a dog to walk on it.
💧it is lovely to be by the river and let your dog swim about, BUT, never leave soaking wet dog on the sun for longer time (the dogs wet fur can create a surface that traps the heat created by direct sun and can result overheating)
💧all short nosed breeds and molosser breeds are always in much higher risk on hot days. So are the very young dogs and puppies, older dogs, and obese dogs
💧do not let the dog that just had gotten out of the hot car, or had, even a short play, and is excessively panting to jump straight into the water or excessively drink cold water, this could cause a shock to the system , or make your dog sick with continuous health issues.
💧Do not let your dog to swallow large pieces of ice, or frozen veg/fruit
