Dog owners urged to follow ‘wet then vet’ heatwave advice this week – and avoiding it could be fatal
WITH reports of a mini heatwave on the way next week many of us will be looking for ways to cool off.
But it is important not to forget about our four-legged friends when it comes to the hot weather.
Dogs can quickly overheat in the sun, whether that’s on a walk or simply sunbathing in the garden.
David Harris, Head of Veterinary Content at VetHelpDirect.com, has revealed that all owners should follow a simple rule if they are concerned about their pooch overheating.
If you think your dog is overheating, though, whatever their breed, there’s one easy thing to remember – Wet Then Vet.
Get cool or cold water onto them to cool them, and call your veterinarian as soon as possible for advice.
Water immersion, or evaporative cooling, is the best way to rapidly cool down your dog.
For young, healthy dogs, putting them straight into a cold-water bath is a good way to bring down their temperature fast.
For older dogs, or for dogs with an underlying health condition, pouring over water of any temperature that is cooler than your dog is preferred.
This should be combined with ‘evaporative cooling measures’ such as putting them in front of a fan or air conditioning unit.
Only when your dog has been actively cooled should you then take them on the journey to see the vet.
Dog’s don’t just die in hot cars – they can die in the open air of heatstroke, especially if they’re a high risk breed.
Tips to prevent heatstroke:
- Make sure your pet always has access to a cool shaded area, both indoors and outside.
- Walk your dog early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.
- Pack a water bottle on walks.
- Remember, hot pavements can burn paws! If it’s too hot to hold your hand on, it’s too hot for your pet to walk on.
- Never leave pets in a car or a hot room (e.g. conservatories).
- Ensure your pet always has drinking water available, adding ice can help keep it cool.
- Ensure your pet is regularly groomed if this is advised for their breed.
BREEDS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO OVERHEATING
In general, there are six groups of dogs who struggle most in hot weather...
Firstly, those with underlying health problems. Dogs can’t sweat like we can, so rely largely on panting to cool down. However, if they have airway or lung impairments, or suffer from fluid balance or hydration issues, then this is more difficult, and their ability to lose heat is reduced, meaning they are at a higher risk of heat-stroke.
Overweight animals find it harder to ventilate, and their core temperature rises faster than you’d expect for a lean dog.
Very young dogs or very old dogs are also at increased risk of heatstroke, and these owners should be even more cautious in hot weather.
Dogs with very thick coats, who are adapted to a colder climate. Dogs such as the Husky or Malamute – and even the Chow Chow – have been bred to keep heat in. However, this comes at the price of being less well able to cope in hot weather. Their thick double coats effectively trap heat, making it the equivalent of us going out in the July heat wearing a fur coat and thermal underwear: they get very hot, very quickly. This problem can be alleviated by clipping (NOT shaving), however, the coat can take a long time to grow back. In a heatwave, though, if you’re struggling to keep your dog cool, I’d personally rather have a dog with a thinner coat who’s alive than a luxuriously coated dog in the morgue.
Short-nosed, or brachycephalic, breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs. These dogs have been bred to look “cute”, with big eyes and flat faces. Unfortunately, the result of this has been a narrowing of the airways and a profusion of soft tissue in the nasal chambers and pharynx – we call this Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome, and it profoundly affects their ability to pant and lose heat. Like a dog with any other respiratory disease, most members of these breeds are highly prone to heatstroke, and as they are often overweight as well, are at very high risk in hot weather.