Summer Heat and Your Dog
Dog Information >>>Dog Health Articles >>> Dogs and Heat
In extremely warm temperatures, you must look for signs of heat exhaustion in your dog. They don't sweat. Canines dissipate their excess body heat by evaporation through the tongue, mouth and nose. Dogs pant to cool themselves and they speed up this process by speeding up their panting. Dogs overheat more easily than their human counterparts. Older dogs are in more danger of heat exhaustion just as older humans are more unserviceable.
Signs to look for include heavy panting, deep labored breathing, increased salivation leading into dry gums, a discoloration of the 
gums, thick stringy saliva, signs of weakness, confusion, and vomiting. If not noticed and treated or a change to alleviate these conditions can lead to heat prostration or heat stroke.
If you see any signs of heat exhaustion, immediately take your dog out of the hot sun and make sure he has plenty of water available. You can try cooling his paws and head by dousing the dog with water to bring down his temperature. It is best to use cool or tepid water rather than really cold water. Ice packs can be applied to armpits, inguinal region, or neck. Directing a fan on your pet as you apply the water and ice packs can be helpful.
Steps to avoid heat exhaustion in your dog:
- Keep plenty of fresh, clean water available to your dog. You may even want to keep a shallow plastic pool filled with shallow water available to help keep them cool.
- In extremely hot weather, it is best to keep your dog indoors if possible. If your dog is older or overweight, they have a harder time with the heat and should be kept inside in extreme heat.
- If you walk your dog, consider moving your time to when temperatures are move comfortable - early morning or evening time. Consider the hot pavement and the discomfort it will cause to your pet's paws. In very extreme conditions, take a break from exercising your dog.
- Do not leave your dog in your car while you run errands. It does not take long for a car interior to heat up and will cause dangerous conditions for your pet. In a matter of minutes, your car can reach extremely high and dangerous temperature levels. On a day with an outside temperature of 72, the temperature inside a car can reach over 115 degrees.
- Brush your pet's coat. Shaving their coat can leave their bare skin exposes them to possible sunburn. Brush your pet's coat. Shaving their coat can leave their bare skin exposes them to possible sunburn. Dogs and cats, especially ones that have light colored coats, can sunburn and it's possible for your pet to get skin cancer from overexposure. If you want to play it safe, use a pet safe sunscreen on your dog's lip area, inside the dog's nostrils, on the tip of the nose and inside the ears if they stand up.
