This weekend we will be hitting 100F, reaching dangerous temperatures for our furry friends. Just like us, pets can suffer from heatstroke, and high-risk pets and breeds need to be kept inside or away from the heat in our Texas summer.
Keeping Pets Cool
During especially high temperatures, your safest bet is to keep your pet inside as much as possible.
If your pet is outside, they need to have access to plenty of fresh, cool water, as well as shade and a fan if they might be unattended at any point. Heatstroke can happen quickly, so pets outdoors should be watched and immediately let inside if they exhibit any symptoms of discomfort or heatstroke.
Avoid taking your pet on walks during the heat of day, and avoid walking on asphalt as hot asphalt can quickly burn your pet’s paws. Instead, go for walks during the morning or evening, preferably in grassy, shady areas.
Signs of Heatstroke
The first and easiest symptom to spot in dogs experiencing heatstroke is excessive panting. Dogs cool down normally by panting, but constant or prolonged quick panting shows that they might be having trouble handling the heat. If your pet is resting but still panting heavily, they are overheated. Dogs can also frequently whimper, or show discomfort in other ways. If your pet is on asphalt, the hot surface frequently causes overheated dogs to ‘dance’ (picking their paws up one by one).
Other symptoms include drooling, exhaustion, reddened gums, mental dullness, uncoordinated movement, and collapse. Prevent these symptoms by noticing once your pet is uncomfortable or hot, and quickly cool them down by bringing them into the A/C, providing them cool water, and even cooling them off with a towel soaked with cold water.
High-Risk Pets
Some pets are more at risk from overheating and heat stroke. These include:
- Pets with thick fur (e.g. chow chows, huskies)
- ‘Flat faced’ breeds (Pugs, English Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, French Bulldogs)
- Senior pets
- Puppies/kittens
- Sick pets
- Overweight pets
If you have a pet that falls into one of these categories, take extra care! Even 85 degrees, in a humid climate like Texas, can be dangerous, and we easily reach highs over 100F.
At our vaccination clinics, we provide shade as well as water to all of our clients and patients to help prevent heatstroke. We also ask clients to stay in their car with A/C on as much as possible. If you are outside in the heat, avoid the asphalt and stay on grass, in the shade, or on the rugs that we provide to protect your pet’s paws. We may refuse to vaccinate dogs that are high-risk for heatstroke or exhibiting any concerning symptoms. We do NOT recommend bringing any high-risk pets out to vaccination clinics when temperatures are above 90F and may refuse to vaccinate.
Keep your pets (and you!) cool & safe this summer!