Even athletic and very fit dogs can suffer from heat-related illnesses during hot summer days.Dogs have a higher body temperature than people and don’t cool down as efficiently as we do.The canine coat is designed more for insulation from the cold than for cooling.
You have sweat glands all over your body, but dogs’ sweat glands are limited to the nose and paw pads.A dog in heat normalizes his body temperature by panting, which is very difficult in extreme temperatures.
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Heatstroke
In a relatively short time, a dog in the summer heat can suffer critical damage to the brain, heart, liver and nervous system.
High-Risk Dogs: (and your dog is any of the following, you will need to be very vigilant to keep him safe from overheating related diseases)
- Brachycelaphic races;
- Dogs with chronic diseases such as heart disease;
- Overweight dogs;
- Older dogs;
- Puppies.
Here are some common-sense strategies to protect your dog during a heatwave:
?Fresh water and shade always available;
?Keep it inside during the hottest hours and avoid long walks (to be done in the cool hours of the evening or early morning)
?Avoid paved roads and other materials that heat up easily. These floors can burn the dog’s paw pads and prevent the already difficult body cooling;
?Never leave your dog in a parked car on a hot day, not even for a minute.