Even playtime indoors can pose a risk. If you don't have air conditioning or good air circulation in your home, then chances are your dog is feeling the temperature and should be drinking water on a hot summer's day to stay cool.
Keep them hydrated
Keeping your dog hydrated is the most important step in a heatwave. You should give your dog plenty of opportunities to drink cool, fresh water. Place multiple bowls in different spots around the house and in the garden. You can also put ice cubes in their water to keep it cold.
How do dogs cool themselves down? Once their body temperature rises, dogs can't sweat through their skin like we do to cool off. Dogs do sweat through their paw pads, but it's by panting that dogs circulate the necessary air through their bodies to cool down.
“If the temperature gets relatively hot, above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, pets will need more water,” Aldrich said. Aldrich said under higher temperatures, water intake will increase by around 6-10 milliliters per one degree. That equals an extra 10% of water per day when temperatures rise over 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour cool water over the dog's feet, ears and head. Never use ice or very cold water as this can cause shock. Gradually start to move cool water over their body but not too much that they start shivering. If possible, continue cooling your dog on the way to your vet.
Dogs should drink between 15-45ml/kg/day on average. In the hot weather, a dog will drink more water much like humans, however, rather than sweating they lose water to cool off through panting and so will drink more to replenish themselves.
While keeping your house 10 degrees warmer or cooler during the day might save on your utility bill, your pets may suffer as a result. An overheated dog or cat can suffer from heat exhaustion and possibly even die of heatstroke.
In addition to conduction and convection dogs also rely on evaporative cooling through the respiratory tract by panting. When the ambient temperature is the same as their temperature dogs will predominantly rely on panting to cool themselves.
Unlike humans, dogs lose minimal heat through sweating because they only perspire from their paw pads and nose. As the air temperature meets or exceeds your dog's body temperature, he relies primarily on panting to cool down. Heat loss through evaporation is also limited.
As a dog's body temperature rises above normal, heat exhaustion will set in and as it continues to rise and the mechanisms for cooling become overwhelmed and fail, heat stroke, a serious medical emergency, occurs. If your dog suffers heat exhaustion or stroke: get your dog to a cooler area immediately.
To cool your dog down as quickly as possible, pour cool water over their head and body, gently hose a very gentle stream of cool water over them, or, where possible, submerge them in a tub of cool water.
Well, research shows that dogs prefer cool water. But there's no harm in feeding your dog ice water in the summer to cool down. Of course, while you might enjoy a piping hot cup of tea, dogs shouldn't be given boiling water as this could risk burns on their tongue and in their mouth.
If you see your dog excessively panting while resting or sleeping, they may be experiencing some kind of respiratory distress. If you see your dog showing any of the following symptoms, the first thing you should do is call your vet as soon as possible.
The advice of soaking a towel with cool, but not freezing water and placing it over your dog is quite popular. However, this will warm up very quickly and then acts to trap the heat against your pet even more so we suggest avoiding this unless advised otherwise by a vet.
As we mentioned above, summer nights can be just as problematic as summer days for your pet. For example, one sign your dog is too hot at night is heavy panting in a setting where they're otherwise calm and happy. Heavy panting could also indicate dehydration — is your dog's water bowl still full?
The three stages of HRI are heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Often the first signs of overheating are vague. Your pet may seek shade, become restless, whine or become vocal, or appear to have trouble breathing.
Recovery and Management of Heatstroke in Dogs
Major damage can occur when the body's temperature reaches higher than 109 F. The prognosis is considered poor if multiple organ failure occurs. Most dogs that survive the initial 24 hours will live but will remain hospitalized on IV fluids and supportive care for 2-3 days.
Just like humans, some dogs naturally do this while others over-drink or under-drink. Drinking too much water can lead to toxicity and electrolyte imbalances; drinking too little water can lead to dehydration, organ failure, and even death. Find out whether your dog is drinking enough water.
The results of this study show that dogs are discriminatory in their choice of drinking water and, like humans, have a preference for drinking water that is cool.
Don't be alarmed; your dog isn't a diva. The truth is dogs love and need the sun as much as people do. Being in the sun is incredibly healthy for you and your dog. The vitamin D they get from the sun helps their body and immune system as well as improves their mood.