Summer Heat Safety
Well I’ve already had sunburn, which means it's officially summer time! Not that I would encourage anyone to get sunburn, on the contrary its sun cream time! The weather is glorious in Yorkshire, of course with the odd shower but on the whole it's rather lovely. Now although I love the warmer months, it is super important that we are aware of the dangers of heat. Every year we see the same things across social media, no dogs in hot cars, check the pavement temperature ect but STILL we have dogs suffering from fatal heat stroke so I thought this blog would be a good opportunity to touch base on keeping our pooches safe in the heat.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO WALK YOU DOG EVERY DAY
Dun dun dunnn! There I said it!
Far too often I have dogs dealing with pain management for example and pet guardians are wracked with guilt if their dog isn’t walked every day. There is a balance with everything in life and when making decisions for our pooches we are balancing risk. What is that risk? Say we have 20 degree heat and your ever faithful companion is longingly staring at the front door for their regular walk.
What do we risk if we don’t walk the dog that day?
Sulky pooch? Hyperactive pooch? Unsettled pooch?
What do we risk if we walk the dog that day?
Burnt paw pads? Dehydration? Fatal heat stroke?
For one day your dog will manage without, even several days to a week. So if we know that walks are off the cards because of beaming sunshine what can we do instead? If we can’t exercise the body fully we can exercise the mind instead. Trust me, this works a treat!
Brain games come in all shapes and sizes from kongs to lick mats. All help to provide an engaging experience for your dog, whilst helping tire them out. You can get really inventive with these and add a nice cool element such as adding bone broth to said lick mat and then freezing. If you don't have brain games to hand then using an empty tupperware, filling with water, treats and then freezing is an easy way to provide cool entertainment. My gang love water with sliced cucumber and a couple treats for good measure.
Also for the raw fed pooches I feed half defrosted raw meaty bones, such as duck necks which will then be counted towards daily food allowance.
Frozen treats, Stefs is full to bursting with them! Billy and Margot Coconut Creme is already a firm favourite in our household. The next icey treat we will be grabbing is The Dogs Butcher Rosehip & Raspberry ice cream… How fancy does that sound!
Paddling pools are a fun way to keep your pooch cool, and there's even room for you to have a paddle as well! Combining this with a floating dog toy for extra engagement!
If your dog would really struggle with no walks, stick to early morning or late evening light exercise.
For those who don’t have access to an outdoor space, what can you do to keep your dog safe in the heat? I would be sticking to essential toilet walks, walking in shade, taking water with you and cool bandanas or vests are great at keeping your dog cool and comfortable.
Special consideration has to be given to pooches who fall into the brachycephalic category, such as your Frenchies, Boxers, Cavs, Shih Tzus, Bulldogs, Mastiffs, Pugs ect. Due to the structure of the muzzle, its shortened length means they can struggle to efficiently keep themselves cool in hotter temperatures. Also not forgetting our more hairy dogs, keep them well groomed and for the love of god, don’t shave your double coat breeds! Take them to the groomers to remove dead undercoat, but their hair is designed to help regulate body temperature.
If you are looking to take your dog on a day trip, or even a visit to the pub for lunch some handy things to bring in your doggy backpack,
- Cool mats, Stef has plenty of different patterns and shapes of cool mats in. These really are fabulous for helping keep dogs cool. When your dog makes contact with the mat, the gel inside begins to cool. A great way to effectively manage temperature.
- Cool towels These are an absolute must have! Simply run under water and drape over your dog or have them lay on it to stay cool and refreshed.
- Water bottles with a built-in bowl are super handy or you have the option of a collapsing bowl. Whichever way you choose to transport it, water is a non negotiable in the doggy backpack.
Speaking of day trips, if you fancy a spin out to the beach the same rules still apply. Be mindful of your dog playing or fetching in salt water as this can dehydrate them quickly and lead to an upset tummy. Everything in moderation is a good rule of thumb for playing at the beach.
Swimming is another one to be mindful of, it's tempting on a hot day to let your dog go for a cool swim in the sea, lake or river. Something that can occur is known as swimmer's tail, this is easy to spot as your dog's tail will be fully or partially flaccid due to inflammation in the soft tissue. This can be incredibly sore and a vet visit will be in order, recovery is good but in my experience once a dog has had swimmers tail once it does make further incidences more common.
Whichever way you want to enjoy the sunshine, keep these tips in mind and continue to advocate for your dog. If it's too hot for you to stand barefoot outside, it's too hot for your dog. For a general rule of thumb mine won’t go out in anything above 20 degrees, even if it's overcast. For our Brachy pooches, I would recommend a much lower temperature to be on the safe side. It goes without saying if you suspect that your dog is suffering from heat stroke, seek veterinary treatment immediately, they can slowly and safely work to bring your dog's temperature down.
I will be back in store for Therapist Saturday on the 25th for all your joint health questions, so pop in for a chat!
Continue to nourish your dogs with species appropriate nutrition, massage and compassion.
Catch up soon,
Yaz x
