How to Keep Your Dog Cool in the Summer By Donald Bramlage, DVM | June 30, 2022
Keeping your dog cool in the summer is crucial for his health and safety. The heat affects animals in different ways. Some lean breeds have little problems with the extra warmth if allowed to get out of the sun. However, elderly and very young animals have a harder time regulating their body temperatures. A young puppy’s world is a toy, and they get up in the morning thinking of playing. Puppies under one year can get so excited with attention that you need to force them to “cool off” between play times. What Dog Breeds Don’t Do Well in Heat? Some dog breeds require extra caution in the summer months. Examples are the “pushed-in” nose dogs (Brachycephalic), such as Pugs, or breeds that can’t pant effectively in the heat. Overweight dogs and dogs with extra skin, like Shar Pies, also require additional vigilance in hot weather. How to Prevent a Dog From Overheating Beating the heat is not easy for your pet. Unlike humans, dogs do not sweat. They get rid of the heat through their mouth and lips by basically “sweating through their
mouth” when they pant. They also release heat through their pads, so taking them to the county fair or outside market when temperatures are on the rise is asking for issues. Here are a few tips to help avoid overheating in your dog. • Cool grass will remove heat from a dog, but concrete or gravel will add to the issue. • Avoid walking your dog on hot asphalt. A sunny day can lead to asphalt and tar causing burns on your dog’s feet. • When temps are high, leave your pet at home where they can get out of the sun! • Avoid taking your dog on car rides when the weather is warm and sunny. Even a few minutes in the car can be deadly. If in doubt, leave your dog home. For extra safety, leave a large card with your cell phone number on the driver’s window so a good Samaritan can call you rather than smashing your window. • Feed animals in the evening when temperatures drop. If they are twice-a-day feeders, feed ¼ of the diet in the a.m. and ¾ of the diet in the p.m. Low fat/ protein diets are not only good for the waste, but they also create less heat in digestion than high fat, high protein diets do. • Make popsicles to control the
heat. Use electrolytes such as Breeder’s Edge Puppy Lyte in one gallon of water and add 1 tsp. of beef/chicken bouillon. Freeze in ice cube trays and give to your pets as treats. Feed them outside if your pet is not used to ice cubes, or they will make a mess trying to figure out the “eating technique” the first time. Dogs get rid of heat through their mouths so this works great. Freeze large dog popsicles in Dixie cups. Cheap and effective cooling! • For outside dogs, heat is difficult to deal with. Mix electrolytes in one gallon of the water. When the temperatures approach high 90’s, use in place of drinking water. • For a change of pace for puppies and kittens, freeze Breeder’s Edge Foster Care™ Milk Replacer in a Dixie cup for a cooling, plus nutritious treat.
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