Summer in Alabama means the sun’s blazing. The pavement is scorching. Everyone seems to be feeling the heat, including Alabamians on four feet as well as two.
Veterinarians say family pets are equally prone to overheating during the hot summer months. APR looks into immediate signs your furry friends are too hot and what pet owners should do.
Dr. Michael Bailey, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association, says pets can overheat “even in a relatively cool environment,” just because there’s no air moving.
He told us about common signs pet owners can see that their dog is in trouble. Panting is one of them, but there are others.
“Vomiting or diarrhea is an extremely good sign,” Dr. Bailey shared. “If your dog is starting to look like even that, they want to vomit, then they and it's a very hot day, particularly if it's a young dog, and they're not usually doing that, that's an indication that something's not right in their system, right there.”
Though the easiest indication to watch is your pet’s breathing, pet owners can always check their gums if you’re not sure.
“They should be nice and pink. But if they're turning blue,” said Dr. Bailey. “Or if they are tacky, that's an indication that they're getting dehydrated, which is one of the biggest concerns.”
Though no dog is immune to extreme temperatures, some breeds like boxers, frenchies (French Bulldogs,) and bulldogs are at even greater risk because of their shorter snouts.
“They actually have a cooling mechanism, a counter current mechanism inside of the nose,” he explains. “The longer their nose, the greater that counter current mechanism, the shorter their nose, the less counter current mechanism that they have.”
Cool hours are limited during the summer and many people don’t have time to walk their pets then, so more pet owners are turning to doggy daycares to keep their dogs cool and cared for to make sure their pets can still have fun and get their exercise in.
Emma Grey is the manager at Good Dog Park and Bar in Birmingham. She says their facility is completely covered to help with the heat. They have tons of fans, a misting line, and offer water and pools throughout the day.
“If anyone does get too hot, though, while outside, we do have a couple different fully air conditioned buildings,” Grey said.
Grey explains that remaining inside is important since the asphalt can become too hot and potentially burn your pet’s paws, “it can get over, I mean, 30 degrees hotter than it is in the air, as well as your car.”
Other things that might seem small, like the shape of your dog’s tongue, could actually be great indicators of how your pet feels.
“If it's just a little bit out and they're breathing pretty normally, it's probably normal. If it's out to the side, they're definitely getting a little bit too hot. If it's completely out and more spoon shaped, or you can see kind of a line straight down the middle, they are extremely hot, and they need to be cooled down immediately,” Grey detailed.
Experts recommend taking cool, damp washcloths and wiping their paws and chest to avoid overheating,” Grey elaborated. “Cooling vests and harnesses work wonders.”
Because dogs can’t tell us they’re overheating, it’s up to us to recognize the warning signs and act quickly. Our awareness can make the difference between a safe summer outing and a dangerous emergency.
