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With the rise in temperatures, owners must be careful with their dog and the risk for it to suffer from the heat. How to protect it? Here are 7 good reflexes to adopt.
The rigors of winter are already behind us. It is no longer a question of protecting your dog from the cold, but rather from the harmful effects of the heatwave now.
Our 4-legged friends are at least as sensitive to heat as we are. We see them gasping and sticking out their tongues as soon as the mercury begins to rise. If they are not protected, their health is at risk.
The few tips below will help you avoid the big and small hassles associated with high temperatures.
1. Keep it in the shade
Make sure your dog is protected from the sun and heat. It is a question of keeping it indoors during the hours of strong sunshine or, outside, in its niche, under a covered playground or any structure offering shade and where the air circulates freely.
2. Make sure he hydrates regularly
The dog must have fresh and healthy water at all times. Regularly renew the contents of its water bowl to make sure. You can also invest in a water cooler.
3. Wet it
It does not necessarily mean sprinkling your dog, even if the latter can enjoy improvised showers in the garden when it is very hot. The application of a glove or a towel soaked in water is enough to moisten and refresh it, paying particular attention to the extremities (legs and pads) and the abdomen.
A good idea would also be to leave him a basin or a mini-swimming pool filled with water so that he can wade in from time to time.
4. Groom it
When summer arrives, it is recommended to resort to summer grooming for your dog, especially if he has a provided coat.
The idea is above all not to shave it – its hair protects it against the sun’s rays – but to refresh and ventilate its coat, by shortening it slightly and getting rid of dead hairs.
5. Never leave it in a parked car
Unfortunately, each summer brings its share of cases of dogs left in cars parked in the sun, with sad consequences for the quadrupeds in question.
Inside a vehicle, the temperature rises very quickly and blithely exceeds the ambient temperature, even with the windows down. The animal then risks suffering from heat stroke. Sometimes, alas, the latter can be fatal.
6. Do not walk it during the hours of strong sunlight
So avoid taking your 4-legged friend out from late morning to afternoon. Prefer walks in the early morning or evening, when the temperatures are lower.
7. What to do in the event of heat stroke?
If, despite your precautions, your dog suffers from heat stroke, you will need to react quickly to help his body return to its normal body temperature. Remember that this must be between 38 and 39 ° C.
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Watch out for symptoms of heatstroke such as vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, tremors, lethargy, loss of consciousness… Take his temperature.
If it is indeed too high and the signs among those mentioned above are manifested by the canine, install it in a cool and ventilated place. Cool him down by applying cool water towels to his body and call the vet if the situation does not improve. </p
