Top 5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Healthy In This Heat

By 29th July 2019 July 30th, 2019 Pet Care

This weather has been really hot recently, so hot that parts of the UK reached 38 degrees and set new all time records for the month of July. With all this hot temperature, now is a good time to think about how your dog will cope and manage with the climate. Here are our 5 top ways to manage your dog in this weather.

1 – Test the ground they walk on

Dogs can easily burn their paws on the tarmac and pavements during summer if you’re not careful. Thankfully there is a 7 second rule you can use to easily test whether it is too hot for their little feet or not. Simply place the back of hand on the ground and hold it there for 7 seconds, if you can’t and you feel like its too hot then it is far too hot for your dog and might burn their paws.

Thankfully there are a few more things you can do to to ensure you dog doesn’t over heat when you walk them.

2 – Walk them earlier or later

Quite a simple one this one but this will really make a difference to your dogs behaviour. Exercise is still great for your furry little friend but when the temperatures are soaring then its best to take them for a walk at the cooler periods of the day.

The hottest part of the day is typically from midday till 4pm so avoid being out then. Look at the daily forecast and see if you can be out in the coolest parts either early in the morning, or later in the evening.

3 – Make sure they have plenty of fresh water

Regularly check your dog has enough water to drink too. Ice cubes in the water or frozen treats to chew on can help keep them cool. Heatstroke is very dangerous to dogs.

You will be able to tell if your dog is overheated as they will usually pant heavily, dribble, collapse and vomit. Watch the colour of their gums too, if they look bright red, this is a sign they could be overheating.

To bring your dogs body temperature down make sure they are out of the sun and start to pour room temperature water all over them, you must make sure you bring their temperature down slowly as too fast can send them into shock. Feed them small amounts of water carefully over a period of time.

4 – Buy a cooling pad for them to lie on

As soon as your pet steps on the mat, the cooling effect starts and can lasts for hours. The non-toxic gel formula absorbs body heat and reduces body temperature. After a short period of non-use, the Self-Cooling Pet Pad is automatically recharged.

5 – Keep your dog well groomed

Getting your dog groomed in summer gets rid of the loose undercoat and dead hair that they need to shed. It’s like taking of a layer of clothing off and will help air to circulate close to their skin.
If your furry friend is clipped to cool them down and their skin is showing through then please be careful that they don’t sunburn! Keep them in the shade.

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Dont forget grooming your dog could help them to stay clean healthy and cool in this temperature. To book your appointment, simply click the button below or call us on 07974387567

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