Too hot today!

Posted on by TheBorkingGabby

A dog’s body temperature should normally be between 101-102.5 °F (38.3-39.2 °C) and a raise of just 4 degrees can be fatal.

Dogs can’t sweat like humans do. To regulate their body temperature they can only really rely on panting. They do have sweat glands that are situated on their nose and paw pads, but they are not enough.

Panting to regulate ones body temperature is not as efficient as sweating. So we can’t judge whether a dog is feeling okay in a certain temperature, based on how we feel in the same situation.

SO HOW DO WE KNOW HOW HOT IS TOO HOT?

Well it’s not so easy to tell: there are a few factors to keep in mind.

Some dogs are in fact more at risk but there are also some preventative mesures that can be of great help.

The categories more at risk include dogs that are:
-elderly
-very young
-brachicefalic (short nosed dogs)
-overweight
-with a thick fur
-affected by a condition that makes it hard to breathe or thermoregulate.

Another factor to keep in mind is the amount of exercise. Too much running or particularly long walks are not good when it’s hot.

And don’t forget to never leave a dog in a confined space with poor ventilation. Or in a space (such as a car) made with materials that can trap heat.

YOUR ALLIES

Water, shade and a lot of stops will be your best friends durig summer.

So before going out:
-choose a route with a lot of shade and resting places
-reduce (or skip entirely) activities that require a lot of exercise
-bring water for your dog to drink
-keep your dog wet by pouring some water on him
-let your dog swimm in ponds, lakes or the sea (if you can)

HEATSTROKE SYMPTOMS

In the unlucky event of your dog suffering a heatstroke, these are the symptoms to look out for:

-Panting
-Hypersalivation (drooling)
-Warm to touch
-Red mucous membranes of mouth
-Rapid heart rate
-Dry nose
-Quiet or poorly responsiveness, may lay down and refuse or be unable to rise
-Vomiting
-Blood from mouth or in stool
-Seizures
-Muscle tremors
-Ataxia (staggering)
-Coma

Left untreated a heatstroke can be deadly.

If you notice one or more of these signs, the first thing to do is to suspend all activity. Place your dog in a shaded, ventilated, cool place and try to cool him with cool water or a fan (if you have one). Then contact a vet.

If you have access to a rectal thermometer, you should take your dog’s temperature and call immediately a vet if the temperature is higher than 103°F.

MYTH BUSTED

It’s true that long haired dogs are more at risk of overheating, but shaving them won’t keep them to stay cool. Actually their coat insulates them from some heat and helps protect the skin from the UV rays. Shaving them down could instead get them sunburned.

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment or if you need help with one of our services don’t hesitate to contact us in the following ways. We are available for all Chelmsford (UK) area.

As always I apologise if my english is not perfect. Still work in progress!

3 thoughts on “Too hot today!”

  1. What does the temperature in the graph refer to? Air temperature or the dog’s outside/skin temperature? Because here in South Africa, even in the winter with the two coldest cold fronts of at least the last two decades, the max temperature is around 17C. It’s scary if that’s to hot for our dogs!

    Like

    Reply

      1. The temperature refers to the air. But as i started in the post there are a lot of things to consider. There are some details that i didn’t put in the article. Like some breeds that can withstand heat a bit better

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment