5 Summer Safety Tips for Dogs: Keeping Your Furry Friend Cool and Safe
Summer sunlight and warm weather are ideal for spending time outdoors with our canine companions. While we enjoy the fun, it’s important to remember that summer also presents hidden threats for our canine companions. Dogs are far more vulnerable to overheating and dehydration than humans, placing them in danger of heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition.
Aside from heat-related difficulties, summer presents other risks such as sunburn, scorching pavement, and even pyrotechnics, which can stress and terrify our dogs.
Here are some important summer safety tips for dogs to keep in mind during summer:
1. Make fresh, clean water readily available at all times:
dogs taking fresh clean water
Water is crucial for dogs’ health, just as it is for humans. However, unlike humans, dogs sweat little and rely on panting to cool off. During the heat, panting increases, forcing them to shed more fluids, so they need more water to replace what they’re losing. This helps regulate their body temperature and keeps them from heatstroke, a serious condition that can be fatal.
2. Keep your dogs cool:
paddling dog pool
You can keep your furry friends cool during summer. Provide ample outdoor shade using umbrellas, canopies, or trees. Keep the kernel cool and airy and beat the heat by providing the dogs with a cooling mat or drenched towels for them to lie on. Also, consider setting up a shallow paddling pool for your dog to cool off
3. Avoid Peak Sun Hours:
An evening walk during summer
During summer, dog owners are advised to avoid daytime walks and outdoor activities when the sun is high, this is because dogs are at risk of both overheating and sunburn during peak sun hours. The high heat can rapidly elevate their body temperature, resulting in heatstroke. Dogs with light fur or hairless skin can also get sunburned, just like humans. Walks and outdoor activities are better done during cooler mornings or evenings instead.
4. Watch for heatstroke signs:
watch for heatstroke signs
Heatstroke, also called hyperthermia, is a fatal condition in dogs caused by excessive body temperature. It occurs when a dog’s natural cooling mechanisms, like panting, can’t keep up with the heat. Dogs have the highest tendency to develop heatstroke in summer with or without exposure to the sun. During this time it is necessary to watch out for heat stroke signs such as excessive panting, drooling, glazed eyes, bright red gums, vomiting, diarrhea, disorientation, and seizure. If any sign of heatstroke is suspected during this period, immediate action should be taken to cool them down or get them to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
5. Protect Your Dog Paws:
protect your dog paws with dog booties
During summer pavements and sidewalks are hot, and they can cause burns and blisters on dog paws. Walking on hot pavement can also be uncomfortable and painful for your dog. It is therefore advisable to use grassy or shaded areas for walks and outdoor activities during this period. In the case where only pavements are available, dog owners are advised to protect their dog paws using paw wax or balm and even dog booties.
Dogs, unlike humans, struggle to control their body temperature. To keep them cool and safe this season, emphasize hydration with fresh water, plan walks around peak heat, offer shady locations for relaxation, and shield their paws from the pavement.
While there may be other summer safety tips for dogs, strictly adhering to the above-listed summer safety tips for dogs will go a long way in giving you and your furry friend a pleasant and healthy summer together.
