Tips from Safe Haven to Keep Your Dog Safe in the Summer

Home security includes more than protecting your personal belongings, but also extended members of your family such as your pets. Remote monitoring can help you keep an eye on them even while you’re away from home. As the dog days of summer are far from over and man’s best friend needs an extra hand (or paw, should we say?) to keep to cool in the summer months. Since everyone is spending more time outside, including pets, keep a cautious eye on your furry friends for signs of heat exhaustion.

Dogs are inherently susceptible to overheating. In fact, a recent survey found that 48 percent of veterinarians had to treat at least one dog for heat stroke last summer. While this is a common occurrence, it can be easily prevented.

First, the two main reasons for overheating, according to PetMD, are hyperthermia and their upper respiratory systems. Your pet could experience hyperthermia if it was trapped in a hot environment and is too overwhelmed to cool down. Vehicles warmed by the hot summer sun are the most likely places for this to occur. Additionally, your dog is stuck in his or her fur coat, and doesn’t sweat the same way humans do. Imagine constantly wearing a sweatshirt and never being able to take it off. That’s how your dog feels in the summer.

Intense exercise in the middle of the day can also cause canines to produce high amounts of heat inside. The results of this can often lead to a dog collapsing and having a hard time getting back. Delayed treatment can be threatening. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include excessive panting, drooling, mild weakness and increased heart rate. More severe symptoms include vomiting, bloody diarrhea and seizures.

If you want to play outside with your pet, plan to take them out early in the morning or when the sun is going down. If you take them out in the heat of the day, make sure to find a shaded area for them. This will make it easier for them to breath and cooler on their paws. Water is crucial since panting allows dogs to cool down by evaporating water in their respiratory tracts. Help replace these fluids with a drink of water.

Flat-faced dogs like pugs and Boston terriers, can’t pant as well, making them more susceptible to heat stroke. Dogs with darker coats absorb more heat, and obese dogs are also more prone to heat strokes.

If you suspect your dog has had a heat stroke, the goal is to cool them down without over-chilling them. You can pour cool water on your furry friend, and cold towels may help, as well. You can gently immerse them in water, just be sure that once they stop panting and act normal again, to stop the cooling process.

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