Hot weather and Dogs

It is that time of year when temperatures rise.  We must think about our furry friends and what can you do to make their life more tolerable in hot weather.

1. Only walk early in the morning and late in the evening. 
2. Leave fresh water down all the time.
3. Do not expect them to eat big meals as we also go off larger dinners when its hot.
4. Think hygiene if your feeding raw as it must be in the fridge.
5. Cooling mats are ideal for dogs, containing gel inside and dogs will go and lay on them. 
6. Fans are another great way of keeping your dogs cool.
7. Check that the water bowls have not been drunk and refill during the day.
8. Paddling pools for dogs help keep them cool.
9. Do not give chunks of ice to dogs, as the ice inside the stomach can cause it to contract and spasm.  Some dogs have been hospitalised after eating large amounts of ice.  
10. Do not walk your dogs on pavements.  The rule of thumb is if you place your hand on the tarmac and its unbearable, don't walk the dog.  Tarmac melts in heat so you do not want your dogs pads burning.  NEVER EVER walk puppies on tarmac in the heat, their pads have not hardened yet. 
11. Car travel:  Open your car an hour before journey and place under a tree for shade.  check all crates are not boiling hot. Metal burns in hot sunshine.  If you have aircon start it for five mins before you put the dog in the car.  Take water bowls with you and water. Take a cooling coat with you in case you get stuck on the motorways.  But best of all DONT TRAVEL.
12. NEVER EVER EVER EVER leave your dog in a car, even with windows open.  Take the dog with you, or better still leave it at home.
13. A cooling coat is fabric which holds water.  It must be dunked into cool water and placed over dogs back.  However watch that water doesn't heat up under cooling coat, as it would be like putting a hot jacket on.
14. Dog shows, well most of us don't go if the weather talks of being hot.  
15. Metal tags on collars can get over heated.
16. Do not let the dog lay in the sun.  Bring it inside or put their bed in shade outside, or purchase a sun shade for the dogs. 
17. Protect noses with sun screen for dogs. 
18. If you are at the beach take some cover for the dog to sit under. 

How do you know if your dog has sunstroke. ?
Lethargic, sticky drool, over heating, panting harshly, collapse. 
Firstly ring vet and tell them you are on your way.  Friend or partner grab towel and dunk in bath of cold water, and lay over dog. Do not plunge a dog into an ice bath, the shock could kill it.  So tap water cool so it can get accustomed to the change in temperature.  Then you could go little cooler.   Wipe the gums with water, or syringe cool water into the mouth to cool.  Get to the vets now!  Vet will put dog on a drip and monitor dog.  Dogs die from heat stroke.  Take your vets advice on the phone incase they have other suggestions. Any breed of dog can suffer with heat stroke, but the snort nosed breeds suffer more.  So never ever leave them in the sunshine. 
​R xxx