Heat stress in dogs

Summer is upon us! With the increase in temperatures, the chances of your pet having a heat related injury increases. Some things to be aware of: NEVER keep your pet in your car unattended! If you don't know this, your pet does not sweat like we do. They get rid of body heat by panting. So air circulation is necessary for them to get rid of body heat. An enclosed car with the windows up removes any air circulation. Signs to watch for with heat stress in dogs are excessive panting, sluggishness or lethargy, vomiting and or diarrhea. Immediate visitation to a veterinary office is necessary! Cooling your Pet off with cool water and/or alcohol balls on the feet are ok to do. NEVER use ice to cool a Pet off that has a heat related injury! That could cause death.
Another thing to be careful about is walking your pet in the middle of the day. Generally speaking if the pavement is too hot for you to walk on, bare footed, it's too hot for the pet to walk on. Thermal burns or injuries to the foot pads are very common this time of year. Please don't let it happen to your pet.....Dr. Biles