How to Prevent Heatstroke in Dogs

When the heat is on, it’s understandable to want to head outside and enjoy the sunshine with your furry friend. You want them to soak up some of that delicious vitamin D at the same time as you, and you want to make happy memories together.

Summer is a wonderful time to head out and explore with your dog, but there is one problem – dogs have fur, and you don’t. It can be extremely easy for your dog to become too hot and perhaps even develop heatstroke. When this occurs, it can be very bad news indeed.

The key is to know how to prevent heatstroke in your dog and help them to enjoy the sun in a healthy way. By doing this, you know that they’re enjoying the outdoors as much as you!

What is Heatstroke?

Heatstroke occurs when your dog becomes too hot, and normally occurs when their body temperature hits a high 106 F. This can be from being outside in the sun, sitting in a hot car, being too active outdoors, or the house simply being too warm. Whatever the cause, Heatstroke can be extremely dangerous and can cause death in the very worst cases.

Of course, your dog is part of your family, so understanding how to help them avoid heatstroke is vital. Handily, there are several things you can do to help your furry friend out.

• Do your best to keep your dog inside during hot days, apart from when they need to go to the toilet.
• Make sure there is plenty of fresh water available, and keep it in a shaded area. Add ice cubes to the water to keep it as cool as possible.
• Also make sure that your pet can sit in the shade even when indoors, e.g. to be able to escape from sunlight coming through the window.
• Blow up a children’s swimming pool and let your pet splash away, but make sure it’s situated in a shaded area.
• Never, ever leave your pet in the car during hot weather, not even for a second whilst you nip into the shop. Even if you have the windows down, this can still be a huge risk as temperatures can skyrocket inside a parked car.
• Take your dog out for walks when it’s cooler, e.g. early evening sand morning times and make sure you have a little water with you.

All of these are great ways to help your pet enjoy the summer sun without risk of illness. By knowing what to do, you can head outside and make memories together.