Safety first!
Dogs can overheat very quickly and many dogs will not be good at managing themselves; especially if play is involved. Not all dogs will stop what they are doing and take themselves off to the shade to cool down, we need to look out for them. Heatstroke is preventable when you know what to look for and take precautions.
Some dogs are more at risk
Some dogs will be at higher risk from heat related illness than others; brachycephalic dogs (shortnose/flat face), dogs with a thick coat, very young and geriatric dogs, giant breeds, overweight dogs and those with other conditions such as heart or lung disease. Take extra care to monitor these dogs (Animal Love PetFirst Aid, 09 May 2022 & 23 May 2023).
The first signs that your dog is too hot are; heavy panting, red gums and tongue, enlarged tongue and lethargy. If you notice any of these signs please help your dog to cooldown:
✅Stop exercise
✅Get them out of the sun
✅Ensure water is available
✅Use a fan to help move the warmer air away from your dog
✅Use cool water just on hairless areas such as armpits, inner thighs, belly and paws
✅If there is no improvement contact your vet
X Do not cover your dog with wet towels- this prevents hot air from escaping. Wet towels can be offered for your dog to lay on to prevent overheating in the first place
X Do not use tepid water. Cold water is required out of the cold tap (Animal Love PetFirst Aid, 23 May 2023 & 30 May 2023)
If you feel that you rdog is still struggling it’s best to ring your vet for advice straight away to ensure this does not progress to heat stroke. The most up to date advice for dogs suffering with heat stroke is to cool your dog rapidly using ice cold water(AnimalLove Pet First Aid, 24 July 2023).
* Tip: keep your vet’s phone number saved in your mobile phone so you can ring them quickly in an emergency.
Keeping your dog safe on hot days:
🐾Walk early morning or late evening, once temperatures are cooler
🐾 Ensure the pavements are not too hot for your dog’s paws
🐾 Reduce the distance and duration you walk
🐾Take water on every walk and offer regularly
🐾Dogs are more likely to overheat during exercise, so encourage slower exploration and calm sniffing instead, take regular breaks in the shade
🐾Ensure that multiple water bowls are available in the house and garden
🐾Where does the sun shine into your home in the morning versus the afternoon? Keep the curtains closed to help reduce heat build up. On the shady side of the house you can open windows and curtains to get cooler air flowing (unless it is hotter outside in the shade than in your house!)
🐾Use a fan.These can really help dogs by blowing away the hotter air coming off their bodies. Ensure that your dog is not scared of the fan and always supervise
🐾A garden patio can get very hot when in direct sunlight on a hot day. If your dog needs to go outside you can drape wet towels over it for them to walk on
🐾 Allow your dog to lay in the shade if they choose to. Many dogs will find cool places to rest such as in patches of dirt underneath bushes and trees. If you have cool surfaces indoors such as stone flooring many dogs will seek this in the hot weather, so allow access if you can
🐾 A paddling pool is useful as you can encourage your dog to dip their feet which will help keep them cool. Many dogs will enjoy a paddling pool, so it’s good for their mental well-being, too! However, some dogs will swallow lots of water and this can be dangerous, it’s more common with dogs that play fetch in water. Water intoxication happens when a dog takes in too much water in a short space of time, this causes an imbalance of sodium in the system which can be fatal (Vets Now 6 May 2024). If using a paddling pool be aware that the water can become stagnant unless changed frequently and a build up of fungi and bacteria can be harmful to your dog. Diseases and parasites can be spread between dogs using communal areas of stagnant water.
Using the fields at Martham Paw Ground during hot weather
🐾 The fields have been known to close during the hottest part on the day for safety reasons on extremely hot days
🐾Monitor your dogs needs on an individual basis. They may love running around but you will need to help them to slow down and take breaks to calmly sniff and explore instead
🐾 Seek outshady areas and offer your dog water regularly. There are taps and bowls provided at the entrance of the fields
🐾 Avoid playing games like fetch as dogs may not know when to stop and cool down
🐾 If you are walking multiple dogs that enjoy playing; you will need to ensure this is in short bursts so they do not become too hot. It’s good to encourage them to sniff and explore separately not only to prevent over heating but also from a training perspective
🐾You can have a go at some of the suggestions later on in this article, a little trick training or a scent work game in shady areas will allow your dog to cool off between short bursts of exercise and is great for their mental well-being
Other Considerations:
🐾 Hotcars: It goes without saying that dogs should not be left in cars in the heat. A car can get surprisingly hot even on an overcast day. If you need to travel with your dog ensure you have adequate air circulation in the vehicle, have water available and monitor your dog constantly. Turn on the air conditioning if you have it
🐾 Clipping the coat: There is some incorrect information circulating which suggests a dog’s coat can prevent them from overheating. While the coat serves the purpose of protection from the sun and regrowth can be affected; it is not true that the coat keeps them cool! A fur coat prevents hot air from escaping.
🐾 Muzzles: If your dog needs to wear a muzzle it’s important that the muzzle is the ‘basket’ type, not the fabric type. The fabric type are designed to keep the dog’s mouth shut - this prevents panting; a method by which dogs cool themselves, so your dog may easily overheat. A well fitting basket muzzle allows your dog to fully open their mouth, to pant and to drink water.
🐾 Cooling coats: these can be beneficial by helping dogs keep cooler in the first place but not for treating them when they are already overheating. They are usually made from a ‘chamois’ like fabric and are soaked in water. They work by keeping the dog damp. If a dog is already too hot these can prevent hotter air from escaping. They must be kept wet or they will have a heating effect on the dog. Use with caution and not as an excuse to exercise your dog out when it’s too hot
🐾 Cooling mats: Another tool that can help keep your dog cool and comfortable but will not be effective enough for treating an overheated dog. Cooling mats are filled with a gel and they are cool to the touch. Some dogs may be tempted to chew these so use with caution, especially puppies
🐾 Icecubes: There is a myth that giving ice cubes can cause shock, this isn’t true although they could pose a potential choking hazard. Giving ice cubes is not an effective way to cool a dog but is safe to give them in moderation. (Dr David Marlin, 15 August 2023). Doggie ice cream and home made ice pops may be a good way of providing enrichment when less exercise is possible
🐾 Dogs that will not toilet in the garden: If you have a dog like this it may not be possible to keep them at home. Find somewhere shady nearby where your dog is likely to go to the toilet. Make sure you take water and a bowl with you and keep the walk short, coming home once your dog is empty
Now for the fun stuff!
How can you keep your dog amused when the weather is too hot? I have a few ideas for you:
🐾 Stuffables - there are toys for dogs that have been designed to be stuffed with food. You’ve probably heard ofa toy called a Kong®, this durable, rubber hollow toy has been around for a long time and can be used to keep your dog amused. There are other brands of hollow toy too and I’m a big fan of the West Paw Toppl®, I actually prefer this to the kong, especially for dogs that are easily frustrated, just getting started with stuffable toys, for flatter faced breeds and puppies. You can stuff these toys with all sorts of things but you can also use it to feed part of your dog’s daily food allowance. If your dog is usually on dry food you can soak it first, and if your dog is on wet or fresh food you can easily stuff it into these. If your dog is very good at emptying a kong you can even freeze it, keeping your dog amused for longer. You could get a few of these toys and have them prepared in the freezer for hot days and offer them throughout the day. Ensure you do not make it too hard too soon for your dog to remove the goodies inside. Imagine being presented with something brilliant that you have no idea how to access! Start your dog off easy with just a few loose treats and verbally praise your dog for trying. You can also smear something tasty around the toy and hold it for your dog to lick at, or by popping it under your foot to keep it still. This can be helpful to begin with as they won’t have learned how to hold it. Once your dog is a little more experienced you can gradually make it more difficult by packing in more food and you can even get creative with combinations.
🐾 Freework - is a rich sensory experience and was designed by dog pro Sarah Fisher and is an integralpart of her Animal Centred Education (ACE). Sarah uses freework primarily as away of observing a dog’s movement, how they hold themselves and their behaviourand I use it for the same purpose in my dog training and behaviour, however it’s an exceptionally enjoyable and gentle activity so is perfect in hot weather. Freework can be done either inside or outdoors if there’s enough shade and a cool breeze on hot days. It’s very easy; simply set up a few sensory stations for your dog to explore. This could include a snuffle mat, crumpled up towel, cardboard box, safe novel items, licking mats, different surfaces to walk on. Spread various treats and paste (such as wet food or liver paste) around and on the items then release your dog to explore! I enjoy spreading a few items around in a shady garden when there’s a breeze, sitting down to eat an ice cream while watching my dog enjoy herself finding all the food and exploring the items. By watching your dog you can learn if they enjoy any particular items more than others and next time can give them more of the stuff they love
🐾 Intelligent dog - if you’ve got a dog that needs a challenge you can do some gentle trick training, such as a hand target or to high five. For this month’s training tip in Martham Paw Ground's monthly newlstter, I have a short guide on teaching your dog to high five. If you have not signed up to the newsletter you can do this via the link on their website.
🐾 Sniffy dog - if your dog loves to sniff and explore on your walks then the freework will likely be popular (see above), but you can also play games of ‘find it’ by hiding things (such as treats or toys) and then sending your dog to search for them. Beware that if you have a particularly enthusiastic dog this could create excitement and cause them to get hot, so keep it short and sweet or save it for a cooler day if your dog gets too excited about it. If you’ve never done this before with your dog keep it easy. Hide a treat or their favourite toy just out of sight before releasing them to find it. Then make it gradually more difficult. Another fun idea is to create a trail of treats (or their usual food) which lead to something bigger such as a hollow food stuffed toy at the end.
What else does your dog enjoy?
Many dogs will enjoy being groomed, in which case you could incorporate more grooming sessions into the day for your dog to enjoy. Grooming out dead coat can actually help with air flow so that your dog can cool themselves better (Animal Love Pet FirstAid, 6 July 2022). Do be aware that some dogs when feeling hot, will have alower tolerance for being touched, dogs can feel grumpy if they are hot, just like we can….so this may not be a suitable activity for all dogs even if they usually love it. Even the most energetic dog can be suitably enriched and satisfied on hot days by providing them with a range of activities to work their brain and exercise their body gently.
Keep safe and have fun!
If you are interested in learning the details about heat related illness in dogs I recommend Sophie Bell BVMS MRCVS of Animal Love Pet First Aid. Sophie is a vet specialising in emergency care and provides educational courses on first aid and pet care. Sophie is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what she does, always updating her knowledge. Her courses are bursting with information and I highly recommend them! She shares a lot of information on her Facebook page and I have referenced information about heat related illness below.
Blog written by Claire Mcknespiey of Educating Paws
References:
l Animal Love PetFirst Aid, 2023, “A little heat stroke journey!” [Facebook], 24 July.Available from https://tinyurl.com/stagesofheatillness[Accessed 25/07/2024)
l Animal Love PetFirst Aid, 2022, “Again it’s going to be hot next week and heatstroke/heatstress is PREVENTABLE CONDITION!!!” [Facebook], 09 May, Available from https://tinyurl.com/heatstrokepreventable [Accessed 25/07/2024)
l Animal Love Pet First Aid, 2022, “Double coats play a role butDO NOT magically cool a dog down” [Facebook], 6 July, Available from https://tinyurl.com/doublecoats [Accessed26/07/24]
l Dr David Marlin,2023, “THIS ISNOT ACCURATE! A DOG'S COAT DOES NOT KEEP IT COOL!” [Facebook], 21 July,Available from https://tinyurl.com/coatlength
l Dr David Marlin, 2023, “MANAGING DOGS WITH HEATSTROKE- SOME FAKE NEWS AND SOME REAL NEWS” [Facebook], 16 June, Available from https://tinyurl.com/heatstrokethefacts [Accessed 26/07/24]
l Animal Love Pet First Aid, 2023, “Every dog and cat toleratesthe heat differently” [Facebook], 30 May, Available from https://tinyurl.com/heattolerence [Accessed26/07/24]
l Animal Love Pet First Aid, 2023 [Facebook] “Heat Related Illness - noteveryone will have the same struggles” [Facebook], 23 May, Available from https://tinyurl.com/differentstruggles [Accessed26/07/24]
l Animal Love Pet First Aid, 2023 [Facebook] “Overheated animals need to bemanaged correctly” [Facebook], 23 May, Available from https://tinyurl.com/over-heat [Accessed26/07/24]
l Vets now (2024) “What is water intoxication in dogs and how can Iprevent it?“, 6 May, Available from https://tinyurl.com/watertox[Accessed 26/07/2024]
l John Strassburger (2023) “Dangers ofcommunal water bowls for dogs”, Whole Dog Journal, 31 August, Available from https://tinyurl.com/communalwater[Accessed 27/07/2024]
l Dr David Marlin,2023 [Facebook] “ARE ICE CUBES AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO COOL DOGS IN HOTWEATHER?”, 15 August, Available from https://tinyurl.com/hotdogicecube[Accessed 26/07/2024]
