Keep your dog cool on a hot day!

As many of us enjoy the lovely warm weather that many places across the country are experiencing we thought we’d share a few hints and tips with you on keeping our four-legged friends cool on a hot day.

Walk your dog early in the morning or later in the evening when it’s cooler.
If the asphalt on the road is too hot for your bare foot to stand on, it’s too hot for theirs. If the air temperature is above 77 ËšF (25 ËšC) then asphalt will be about 125ËšF (51 ËšC), the point at which skin destruction can occur in 60 seconds.
Don’t over exercise your dog.
Never leave your dog in a sun trap, in a hot room and never in a car.
Always take drinking water with you for your dog if you go out.
Always make sure that they have drinking water and a cool shady spot be comfortable in.
You could also spray your dog with tepid water. (please don’t use very cold water)

Your dog may be suffering from heat stroke if;

they are breathing faster and panting heavily,, heavier panting
they are barking or whining with signs of agitation
they have an excessive thirst or are drooling excessively
they have an increased heart rate
you think that their gums or tongue are darker in colour
their eyes are glassy, they are showing signs of weakness or collapse
they start to suffer from seizures or become unconsciousness

Heat stroke is very dangerous for dogs and they can deteriorate very quickly. If you suspect your dog may have heatstroke;

Move your dog to somewhere cool and give them small amounts of tepid water.
Use wet towels to douse the dog in cool water but never use cold water.
If you have a fan that you can place near the dog to cool it, use it.
Contact your vet straight away.

At Jerry Green Dog Rescue we find a lot of our furry friends like to enjoy some time in a paddling pool and really love our frozen Kong fillings made by the wonderful welfare team.

Have a wonderful summer!