Hot weather can result in your dog suffering from heatstroke
On the hot sunny days when we are blessed with glorious sunshine it can be both an uncomfortable nightmare and very dangerous for our pets.
If you are out at work all day and your dog is left out in the garden, he should have a cool shady place to rest, away from the hot sun, until your return home from work. If your home is blessed with a garage that does not retain heat in hot weather, leave your dog inside on the cool floor with food and water and an open window.
Keeping dogs safe and away from heat is important for their health; they cannot sweat it out like humans can. However, just like humans, they can suffer heat stroke and die if left out too long in the sun.
Heat stroke is more likely to happen when a dog is left out too long in a garden, or stuck inside a car with its windows shut tight. A car that has been parked up with a dog inside can reach up 160 degrees in temperature within minutes on a hot sunny day, even if the windows have been left slightly open.
Exercising your dog on sunny days, when the sun is at its hottest, even if you take along fresh water, can cause him to overheat and in some cases die within a few minutes.
If, as a pet owner, you are not aware of the telltale signs of heatstroke, your vet will give you more information.
Listed below are just a few of the initial signs of heatstroke:
- Rapid panting and showing a bright red tongue with sticky saliva
- Acting moody, weak and dizzy
- Vomiting, sometimes a show of blood, diarrhoea and falling into a coma
If your dog shows any of these signs call an emergency vet and take your pet to the nearest veterinary hospital, covered with wet towels or the good old bag of frozen peas.
However if you are in your garden and your pet is conscious, use a garden hose to cool him down before rushing him to your local vet.
