Dogs have no sweat glands and are inherently very afraid of heat, so in the summer, when the temperature is so high, your dog will be uncomfortable and afraid of heat. This article will teach you how to tell if your dog is too hot, how to cool him down, and how to keep him safe and comfortable throughout the summer.
How Dogs Regulate Their Body Temperature?
Dogs can sweat through their paws. As sweat is produced, it begins to evaporate, taking heat away from the dog’s body and lowering its overall body temperature. Dogs also regulate their temperature by replacing their fur when they are allowed to. When the weather is hot, the dog will shed the fleece to cool down, and when the weather is cold, the dog will regrow the fur to keep warm. Therefore, it is not recommended to shave all fur, and you can trim it because the dog’s hair effectively prevents ultraviolet burns and has a good insulation effect.
Signs That Your Dog is Too Hot
In the heat of summer, excessive panting is the first symptom. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), a dangerously overheated dog may convulse, experience vomiting or diarrhea, and the gums or tongue may turn bright red.
Signs of Heatstroke Include:
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid heartbeat
- Salivation/excess salivation
- Bright red gums
- Weakness or confusion
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If you notice that the dog is exhibiting any of these symptoms, it is important to take immediate action to cool him down. Dogs that are not treated promptly for heatstroke can quickly progress to seizures, coma, and even cardiac arrest. It is no exaggeration to say that this can even lead to death within minutes. This is no joke. In many dogs, heatstroke is a huge risk. Contact your local veterinarian immediately. Call your veterinarian ahead of time and let them know you are on your way, and they will instruct you on how best to control their temperature until you can get them to the clinic.
Some things can help lower their temperature gradually, but it is important to get your dog to a veterinarian. Heatstroke is life-threatening.
How to Prevent Overheated in Dogs?
1. Swimming
In hot weather, dogs also need to exercise every day, and you may want to take your dog to swim. You can bring some toys in the water, play, and training, get some small snacks, such as chicken jerky, chicken fries dry, etc., appropriate to reward the dog. To release the dog’s energy and give the dog cool down, but after the dog, bath to pay attention to clean the body. Oh, avoid infection on the skin disease or conjunctivitis and other infectious diseases.
2. Fan Or Air Conditioner
In the summertime, do not go out. At least in the hottest time of the day, do not go out. Let the dog stay in the coolest part of the house. Dogs that are too hot can selectively give the dog a fan or air conditioning to adequately lower the temperature. But not for a long time in the air conditioning inside, the temperature should not be too low, generally in about 26 degrees can be, to avoid the dog catching a cold.
3. Cut Short Dog Fur
Different breeds of dog hair length and thickness are distinct. In general, long hair, and the thick dog is more afraid of heat. Many owners may help dogs shave in the summertime, but I recommend not shaving all dog’s fur, can be cut short, dog fur shaved more prone to skin diseases and easy to be sunburned.
4. Shade
Mainly for the dogs placed outdoors. If the owner sets up a kennel outdoors, please put the kennel transferred to the shade in the summertime, or you can buy a sunshade for the dog. It can avoid direct sunlight, prevent the dog from heatstroke.
