Cats love to bathe in sunny windowsills. Dogs love getting outdoor time for play with their owners. But in extreme heat, high temperatures and humidity can combine to create dangerous — even life threatening — conditions for pets.
Dr. Clare Shannon, with the Veterinary Emergency Group on H Street in D.C., said pet owners should also consider humidity in addition to temperature readings.
High humidity adds to the feels-like temperatures that humans and pets experience. And in the case for dogs, Shannon said, “Your dog has to ventilate by panting, and when they are dealing with excessive humidity, that doesn’t allow them to ventilate properly.”
It’s commonly seen in bulldogs and brachycephalic breeds, such as French bulldogs that have shorter faces, Shannon said.
When dogs can’t regulate their body temperatures by panting, Shannon said, “Then they’re at higher risk for heat stroke,” and you don’t want to be outside too long with these dogs. “Maybe 10-15 minutes is the max,” she added.
Another things that can push dogs into signs of heat exhaustion, regardless of breed, is throwing a ball in the middle of the day that have pets running and playing, Shannon said.
Pet owners should keep walks short and schedule them for early mornings or after sunset, Shannon said. During a heat wave, such as the one the D.C. region has experienced this week, she said, “I wouldn’t recommend taking your dog out,” during the midday.
Signs to watch for include “heavy panting, heavy breathing, excessive drooling, especially after regular activity,” Shannon said.
Other signs of heat-related problems include lethargy and a rapid heart rates. Another signal of a heat-related problem is a change to the color of their gums.
“If they’re changing colors to a blue-gray, purple or a bright red, those are all signs to get them inside,” she said.
If a pet seems to be struggling, bringing them inside to a cool spot, maybe near a vent or fan, can help. Resist the urge to put a wet towel on a pet suffering from heat exposure.
“You actually don’t want to cover them with a wet towel. That can actually insulate them and keep heat in,” she said. Instead some cool water on their body might help. “You can pour cool water on them, not cold water though, we don’t want to shock their system.”
If symptoms appear severe, and your pet seems disoriented, you way want to douse them in cool water, get them into your car and turn up the air conditioning with the vent directed at them and head to a veterinary emergency clinic.
Another thing to consider when taking dogs out in hot weather is the temperature of sidewalks and streets.
“The asphalt is always going to be much, much hotter and skin destruction can happen within 60 seconds,” Shannon said.
Consider whether you could tolerate walking along a hot street or sidewalk on your bare feet. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pet.
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