We’ve seen temperatures hit 50 degrees Celsius this summer , and that’s pretty tough for the two-legged to deal with, let alone our furry four-legged friends.
Vets and animal workers throughout the city have released warnings to residents, reminding them that dogs are suffering long-term damage to their health from being left outside in the heat.
Speaking to The National, Dr Sara Elliott, Director of Veterinary Services at the British Veterinary Hospital, said the clinic had seen a heat-related dog death last week.
“It was a six-year-old German shepherd which had been left out in the garden for the third day in a row. The wife found the pet lying on its side with white foam coming out of his mouth…” she said.
“If you are hot and sweaty on a walk then imagine how your dog feels wearing a fur coat and without the cooling effects of sweat.”
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So while it’s warm, here’s how to tend to your hot dogs to make the heat a little more bearable.
How to keep your canine cool:
- Make sure to exercise your dog either in the early morning or after the sun has set. While still a bit warm, it’s a little cooler than the midday heat.
- Don’t leave your dog in the car! It’ll serve as an oven, and dogs have been known to die from heat exhaustion due to this.
- Get Fido some boots made especially for dogs. They’re not only cute, but they’ll help to keep his paws from getting scorched by the hot ground.
- Check if the ground is too hot for a walk. This can be done by placing the back of your hand against the pavement. If you’re unable to hold your hand there for more than 15 seconds, it’s too hot for your pup.
- Bring along a bottle of water when you go walking. A hot dog is a sad dog, and, unlike us, dogs can’t sweat. You can spot dehydration in your dog by looking for excessive panting, bloodshot eyes and drooling.
- Let your dog decide when they’ve had enough. Dogs rarely tune into the weather channel, but instinctually they’ll understand when it’s too warm to carry on and will ask to go back.
- Make stops along your trip to give your dog a chance to cool off. It could just be heading back to the air-conned comfort of the car, or passing by the beach so they can jump in for a swim.
- Think up new ways to keep your dog cool. It could be through setting up a cold-water kiddie pool, sticking a load of ice in front of a fan, or wrapping them in a cold, wet towel.
