Summers might sound all fun and exciting for us but it’s not the same for our pets. As the temperature and humidity rise during the summer months, the risk on our dog’s health increases. Overexposure to sun and heat can cause your dog to suffer from dehydration, sunburn, and heatstroke. Therefore, as a responsible pet parent, it is your job to keep your dogs cool during the harsh heat.
Go through this blog to know more about keeping your dogs cool during summer.
Beating the Summer Heat
You would have often seen your dog panting when it's too hot. That’s the natural way to keep themselves cool. However, excessive panting can result in swelling in the back of their mouth and throat.
This is can be a bigger problem with short-nosed breeds, the brachycephalics. They have a comparatively smaller area behind their mouth that can swell due to excessing panting. If this area is swollen, the dog can suffer from suffocation and the cases can be worse if the dog is obese. Therefore, look out for the following symptoms to protect your dog from overheating:
- Stupor or collapsing
- Mild or severe weakness
- Excessive drooling
- Increased respiratory and heart rate
- Increased panting
- Difficulty breathing
If these signs are ignored, your dog can suffer from other severe issues such as:
- High temperatures (>102)
- Vomit and bloody diarrhea
- Seizures
In case you observe these symptoms, immediately take your dog to an emergency clinic.
Ways to Protect your Dog from the Heat
Here are a few ways you can follow to do so:
- Invest in a dog cooling vest
- Tie a wet or refrigerated bandana around their neck
- Always carry cool water when going out
- Never trim off their coats completely
- Change the walking schedules to early mornings and later evenings
- Never let your dog roam outside during the afternoons
- Do not keep your dogs alone in the car
Follow these ways and protect your dog from the heat. Feed them fresh raw food from Houston Raw Pet Food in Houston, Texas to keep them healthy during summer. Call us now for more information.