Summer Tip For Dog Owners: Prevent Heat Exhaustion!

Time, temperature, and humidity are key factors in the response of our dogs to the heat. What is the temperature on a given day? How humid is it outside, and for how long is your dog exposed to these factors? The amount of water a dog has consumed, being in an enclosed space, obesity, age, cardiovascular disease, and exercise all increase the risk factors of heat stress. Lack of acclimatization or proper conditioning for various activities performed in the summer months also has a tremendous impact on the dog's response to the heat.

Even though summer hasn't quite started yet, all of us could benefit from a review of the signs and symptoms of heat stress and the measures we need to take if our dogs become seriously over-heated. Most of us try to protect our dogs from the heat, but as I learned recently, we can be caught off guard and may well put our dogs at risk. Dogs do not have an efficient way to handle the heat because they do not sweat the way humans do. The only means a dog has of cooling himself is to move air over their moist tongue and airways by panting. Unfortunately, the system is not efficient, because the muscle activity involved in panting also generates some heat. In addition to panting, additional signs of heat stress may include flushed, red skin on the ear flap, deepening color of the mucous membranes (or gums may appear pale and dry), and a darkening, musky color and slight swelling of the tongue.

As fluids are depleted from the body, the mouth becomes dry, the eyes become sunken, and the skin loses elasticity. (Lift the skin along the back. Normally, the skin should quickly snap back into place. If it does not, dehydration is present and treatment by a veterinarian is needed.) As the stress increases, you may see a lurching gait or loss of balance, quivering and/or weakens of extremities, hyper-salivation, vomiting and/or diarrhea, decreased mental awareness, and convulsions.

Heat stroke can occur if a dog's temperature goes above 104 degrees. The increased temperature causes a metabolic disturbance that triggers the release of chemicals that ultimately cause cell destruction. In heat stroke, the blood thickens causing stress on the heart as it attempts to pump the heavy blood through the system. Blood stagnates and eventually clots, causing tissue death. The brain, liver, and intestine are most prone to the effects of such cell destruction.

Use common sense and keep in mind that your dog's ability to thermo-regulate is not as efficient as your system. Additionally, he may overdo it to keep up with you. If you choose to walk your dog in the summer, do so in the early morning or in the evening. It is not advisable to walk dogs during the hottest hours unless they have been conditioned to do so. Bring along water and make frequent water stops.

Panting is a dog's main method of loosing body heat. High humidity and ambient temperatures interfere with the effectiveness. Dogs also dissipate heat through evaporation from a wet body, and a small amount of heat loss is facilitated through the pads of their feet. On hot days, ground heat prevents the latter from being beneficial. You should not exercise your dog on very hot or humid days. With high humidity conditions evaporation decreases and slows the cooling process.

Indoors, if you don't have air conditioning, make sure that your dog bed has a cover that can breathe, like a microvelvet or microfiber. This will ensure that the bed doesn't trap too much of your dog's body heat, and keep him warmer than he needs to be.

Avoid hot sidewalks and pavements that can burn your pet's paws. If it is too hot for you to walk barefoot, then it's too hot for your dog.