The ongoing heatwave in the Midwest and eastern U.S. isn’t just deadly for humans, but pets too. Dogs are more sensitive to heat than humans and can suffer from fatal heat strokes in as little as 15 minutes.
Dogs self-regulate their temperature through the bottom of their paws and by panting. Both ways are less effective than humans’ self-regulation via sweat. Dogs also have a higher body temperature than humans, which leaves them more vulnerable to overheating at dangerous levels.
Mary Tiefenbrunn has been the executive director of the Champaign County Humane Society for nearly two decades. She said in heat waves like this, it’s important to monitor your dog’s behavior for their safety.
“You really have to be careful because they can go from kind of hot and exerting themselves to being overheated and going into heat stroke in a very short period of time,” she said. “Dogs don’t always have great judgment, especially where a tennis ball is involved.”
Humidity plays another part in this equation, because high heat mixed with high humidity makes panting less effective in regulating temperature. In a matter of moments, a standard walk can become a dangerous situation if an owner isn’t prepared to cool down their dog.
Monitoring pets is the best way to avoid a heat stroke. Common signs that a dog is overheating include excessive panting, glazed eyes, lack of coordination and nausea. If you notice these symptoms on a walk, the best thing to do is attempt to give your dog water and get them to a cool environment as soon as possible.
One way to avoid heat-related health problems is by adjusting your pet care to the weather conditions.
“Try to limit the exercise to maybe ten minutes in the early morning or later in the evening,” Tiefenbrunn advised. “Stay in shady areas if you can, do your walk in a park where there’s trees and shade and cool sidewalks or cool grass.”
Urban environments can create a heat dome when pavement traps the high temperatures and can burn the bottom of a dog’s paws. Walking your dog in alternative spaces like a park with a breeze can decrease the risk of a heat stroke and remember to carry cool water in case of an emergency.
Chelsea Angelo is the director of animal control for Champaign County. She said it is important to lower a dog’s body temperature slowly in the event that they’re overheating.
“One quick trick is to have alcohol pads. Wipe those on the pads of the dog and that starts lowering their body temperature quickly,” she said. “You don’t want to submerge them in cold water and you don’t want to pour cold water on them. In fact, that can actually cause your animal to have a stroke.”
Angelo said the agency sees an increase of reports about animals in distress during the summer, especially about dogs being left in cars. She said it’s better to leave a dog at home than risk an emergency if they’re left alone in a car.
“Let’s say it’s 72 degrees outside and it hasn’t quite reached 80 degrees, but maybe the humidity is pretty high and it’s a long-haired dog,” she pointed out. “That animal could still go into distress.”
Dog walks provide not just physical exercise, but a mental workout as well. If a dog’s time outside is limited because of heat, an owner can compensate with mental puzzles that tire a dog out.
Tiefenbrunn suggests using a food puzzle such as freezing treats in a metal bowl for a dog to dig out.
“Those will keep dogs busy for some time, which is also going to help tire them out just for mental stimulation as they work on that food toy.”
Kiddie pools are another tool to keep dogs cool and guarantee get some type of exercise.
If you do notice signs of a heat stroke in your animal, get them to a cool environment and give them water. If you notice extremely strange behavior in your pet including unresponsiveness or a heat-induced seizure, bring them to an emergency vet as soon as you can.
More information on pet safety is available through the American Red Cross.