Keep cool and avoid dog heat stroke
While we love the warmth summer brings as it allows for more fun in the sun, it can also spell doom if you are not careful -- it can be a tough time for our furry best friends. And it’s not because they hate the sun.
It’s because they cannot sweat like humans. The only sweat glands dogs have are around their paws. That’s it. They can hardly sweat. Not being able to sweat easily can spell heat stroke for dogs …
Have you ever rushed around the house while tidying up during a hot summer day? Do you remember breaking into a sweat in no time at all because the windows were still closed?
Now, picture your dog using the same amount of energy but not being able to cool down.
Rather than relying upon sweat, Dr. Stanley Coren from Canine Corner states “the principal mechanism that a dog uses to cool down involves panting with their mouth open. This allows the moisture on the tongue to evaporate, and the heavy breathing also allows the moist lining of their lungs to serve as a surface from which moisture can evaporate. In this way the dog can manage a significant cooling of his body temperature”.
But panting might not be enough during summer.
Any hot environment can cause heat stroke, but the most common cause is careless actions such as leaving a dog in a car on a hot day or forgetting to provide shade and cool water to an animal kept outdoors.
Fortunately, our good friends at Pet MD have provided us with a concise yet thorough outline for recognising and managing heat stroke. Please click here for more information.
Alternatively, do pop into our store for a good deshed and soothing bath. This will help them cope with the heat!
We also still have water fountains on special. These are great for ensuring that a good supply of fresh cool water is always on hand. Our new fabulous fountain price is $69 instead of $99!
Is your dog constantly panting? Have you noticed wet paw prints on a hot day? If you are concerned about doggy heat stroke please give us a bell. We can point you in the right direction.