|
Help your dog beat the “dog days” of summer from:
helpinganimals101.com
Dogs are more susceptible to heat than humans. Since dogs
don’t perspire, they can only cool themselves by panting and sweating through their paws. Short-nosed breeds like pugs
and bulldogs are especially prone to heat stress. The same goes for Northern breeds like huskies, whose thick fur is designed
for extreme winters. Bring dogs inside during heat waves. At all other times, make sure they have access to shade. Plant trees:
They can lower the ambient temperature by as much as 10 degrees!
Prevent Heatstroke by Taking These Precautions:
- Never leave a dog in a parked car. On a mild 73ºF day, the temperature inside a car can reach 120ºF
in 30 minutes. On a 90ºF day, the interior of a vehicle can reach 160ºF in minutes.
If you see a dog in a car and in distress, take down the car’s color, model, make, and license-plate
number, have the owner paged inside nearby stores, and call local humane authorities or police. Have someone keep an eye on
the dog. If police are unresponsive or too slow and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness
(or several) who will back your assessment, take steps to remove the suffering animal, and then wait for authorities to arrive.
Contact us for a supply of fliers on the dangers of heatstroke to leave on windshields.
- Don’t carry your dog in the bed of a pickup truck. This is always dangerous, but the heat brings
the added danger of burning the dog’s feet on the hot metal.
- Don’t take your dog jogging—except on cool mornings or evenings—and don’t force
exercise. On long walks, rest often and take plenty of water. Hot pavement can burn dogs’ paws; choose shady, grassy
routes.
- Trim heavy-coated dogs’ fur, but leave an inch for protection against insects and sunburn. Keep
an eye on areas where hair is thin, like eyelids, ears, and nose as they can get sunburned.
- Keep your dog indoors. If he or she must stay outside for long, avoid the hottest part of the day. Provide
shade, water, and a kiddie pool. Keep drinking water in an anchored bucket or a heavy bowl that won’t tip over.
- Be a watchdog for chained dogs. Make sure that they have food, water, and shelter. If you see a dog
in distress, contact humane authorities. Give the dog immediate relief by providing water.
|
