Be mindful of extreme heat and your pets
Published 7:00 am Saturday, July 16, 2016
An article in today’s Item talks about the dangers of heat exhaustion in dogs, especially during the summer.
With temperatures rising, it is important to make sure dogs have a cool place to escape the heat.
Dogs are man’s best friend, and you wouldn’t leave your best friend out in the hot sun all day without water.
If your dog spends most of the day outside, make sure they have plenty of water to drink and a shady spot out of the sun’s powerful rays.
Some dogs can even suffer a sunburn if they sit in direct sunlight for too long. It can be hard to tell if your pet is suffering from heat exhaustion.
Some signs of heat exhaustion include panting, heavy drooling, rapid heart rate and diarrhea.
Animals with thick fur are especially susceptible to heat exhaustion, especially in the summer months.
Dogs, unlike humans, don’t sweat through their skin but rather through their paw pads and nose and release some of their body heat by panting.
When possible, try to keep pets indoors with fans or air conditioning running to keep them cool.
Leaving your pet in a hot car can also pose a significant risk to their health.
If you are out running errands, the best practice is to leave pets at home because a quick trip into the store will always take longer than expected.
If you think your dog is suffering heat exhaustion, you should get them to a veterinarian immediately.