This Local Pet Parent Has Tips For Keeping Your Pup Cool During The Dog Days Of Summer
Keeping Your Dog Safe From Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is a very serious problem with dogs who have trouble self-regulating their play. This can happen if they’re chasing the ball too much, jogging with you, or if they spend a large amount of time outdoors.
Here are some things to do if you think your dog is suffering from exhaustion due to excessive heat:
Immediately bring your dog in somewhere cool.
Get cool (but not ice cold) water on them as quick as possible. Also keep their head tilted up, you want to avoid water flooding their head and getting into their lungs!
Ice packs go a long way to cool down your pet, especially on the neck and back of the head.
If the dog is responsive enough to drink water, let them drink as much as needed. Adding a little salt is also a great way to replenish minerals, it’s a little like how sports drink help us.
Massage the dog’s legs and body, this will increase their blood circulation.
*As with many things having to do with dogs, heat stroke should be looked at on a case by case basis, but never brushed off. If your dog is showing signs, contact your vet immediately.
** These tips were taken from Pet MD, click here for the full article.
Grooming
Experts go back and forth on the benefits of shaving your dog’s fur in the summer. To be honest this is going to depend greatly on your dog and the environment you have them in. In general, you should avoid shaving a shorthaired dog because, like us, they can get sunburnt.
If you have a husky, but he lives inside a walk-in freeze you installed in your garage, well… that’s probably fine. If you have a Newfoundland who lives exclusively in the sun… well let’s think about not doing that, but also maybe shave them. Speak to your vet and your groomer about what the best option for your dog is and make sure they understand what the dog’s daily routine is.
ONE THING IS FOR SURE!
Never, ever, EVER leave any pet in a hot car or apartment with the windows closed! Give them A/C, a fan, or plenty of air circulation. We transport dogs all day/every day and we know how to keep them cool and mobile. Always make sure they have plenty of air flow. And here’s a cool rule of thumb - if you wouldn’t be comfortable in it, your dog will be miserable in it. So please take care of your pups.
For more like this, be sure to check out the Ruffin Wranglers site & blog. Follow @RuffinWranglers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Full disclosure: I work at Ruffin’ Wranglers as their Marketing Manager. However, this piece was not written or intended as paid marketing.
Thanks for reading!
+ Colin Carlton
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Colin is the author of Infinite Velocity, a freelance writer, and a regular contributor to this blog.
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***This post has been updated from one that appeared on the blog during the Summer of 2018.