Taking care of pets in the Summer Heat

[jimj]

I have a GSD that was born and raised here. I avoid walking here on pavement when temps hit triple digits but given her paw pad thickness/toughness I don't know for certain if it'd bother her. I do know the signs and have seen 'em once when the heat did. She shook her feet at every step like a person who touches something too warm.
I do have boots for her and use 'em on occasion because "I" am uncomfortable, not because I know she is/isn't or to protect her pads when out hiking.

She goes out and plays no matter what the temps and will chase a ball at every chance until she's tired then she'll quit.
As long as there's shade and water she'll sit outside most of the day, laying on our lawn or under the overhang waiting around for me to toss her ball for her (ain't happening as it's too hot for me out there ).

I asked the vet what to do when she got herself overheated and he said to run cool water or if severe a pack of ice in a thin towel on the inside of her rear legs. This is where the main arteries are close to the surface and will cool a dog quickly. Thankfully I've only had to do this a couple of times when she was young.

The one thing I keep in mind is if the heat here was truly impossible for dogs to survive then we'd be seeing coyotes/wolves dropping dead all over the place. I see 'em around here during the day on occasion but more often at night/mornings.

[ElleTea]

I let my dogs out early yesterday and would not let them out again till the sun had passed enough to create shade on the east side of the patio, and even then I tested the concrete and landscaping rock with the back of my hand to be sure it wasn't too hot for them. I don't trust a dog to know when they are too hot or too tired in extreme heat, they will just keep going. Once again my boy was wanting to sunbathe, and I brought him in. He was on the Kool deck of the pool, but even that was hot to the touch yesterday.


If it is too hot for me to be barefoot, it is too hot for them. I don't take any chances.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I let my dogs out early yesterday and would not let them out again till the sun had passed enough to create shade on the east side of the patio, and even then I tested the concrete and landscaping rock with the back of my hand to be sure it wasn't too hot for them. I don't trust a dog to know when they are too hot or too tired in extreme heat, they will just keep going. Once again my boy was wanting to sunbathe, and I brought him in. He was on the Kool deck of the pool, but even that was hot to the touch yesterday.


If it is too hot for me to be barefoot, it is too hot for them. I don't take any chances.

You are aware dogs have pads that get very thick calluses right?
Of course not the ones that ride around in purses or strollers but dogs that walk/run on rough,warm,extremely cold or hot surfaces.
Most people don't have such calluses on their feet (anymore), especially since the advent and for whatever reason "popular" pedicures.

I grew up with a girl who never wore shoes (she hated them) and she could put out lit cigarettes with her feet without burns they were so callused.
All I say is be reasonable, pay attention to how your dog is acting and your pet will be fine.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by jimj

You are aware dogs have pads that get very thick calluses right?
Of course not the ones that ride around in purses or strollers but dogs that walk/run on rough,warm,extremely cold or hot surfaces.
Most people don't have such calluses on their feet (anymore), especially since the advent and for whatever reason "popular" pedicures.

I grew up with a girl who never wore shoes (she hated them) and she could put out lit cigarettes with her feet without burns they were so callused.
All I say is be reasonable, pay attention to how your dog is acting and your pet will be fine.

I am not taking any chances callouses or not. If it is too hot for me I don't allow them out there, period. Why risk it? Also, a dogs paws are used to regulate their body temp, they "breathe" through their feet. So burns aside, walking on too hot surfaces can cause them to overheat more quickly.


Protect Your Dog's Feet From Burning on Hot Pavement

[jimj]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I am not taking any chances callouses or not. If it is too hot for me I don't allow them out there, period. Why risk it? Also, a dogs paws are used to regulate their body temp, they "breathe" through their feet. So burns aside, walking on too hot surfaces can cause them to overheat more quickly.


Protect Your Dog's Feet From Burning on Hot Pavement

How to tell if your dog is overheated:
1. If your dog is staggering around like a drunk.
2. Does your dog seem weak but still restless?
3. His panting is heavier than normal and might have a slight rasping sound to it.
4. Does he seem extremely anxious with a delirious expression on his face?
5. Check his temperature for a fever higher than 104°F.
6. Check his mouth and look for inappropriate salivation.
7. Check his skin, it may be very warm to the touch as well is dry.
8. He may also start sessions of diarrhea and vomiting as well
Also, look for gums to become a muddy pink and ears to be flushed. That's when things are getting serious.

TO TREAT:

Brushing the coat might help (it removes fur and lifts the fur),

pack inside of back legs with cool towels and/or rinse with water,

give him water to drink not ice or ice water (which can shock the system),

hold ice packs around his head and neck,

put him in front of a fan.

Don't immediately take to the vet because transport may be harder on him than just letting him cool off in a nice safe cool place.

Once the dog’s temperature is reduced, and the dog is cooled, you may seek the advice of a vet to verify organ damage did not result from the incident.

[kell490]

Originally Posted by jimj

You are aware dogs have pads that get very thick calluses right?
Of course not the ones that ride around in purses or strollers but dogs that walk/run on rough,warm,extremely cold or hot surfaces.
Most people don't have such calluses on their feet (anymore), especially since the advent and for whatever reason "popular" pedicures.

I grew up with a girl who never wore shoes (she hated them) and she could put out lit cigarettes with her feet without burns they were so callused.
All I say is be reasonable, pay attention to how your dog is acting and your pet will be fine.

The dogs your talking about are the ones I see tied up to a chain their whole life in the backyard I guess their feet are okay on hot pavement? Those same dog owners who have their kids running around the streets with no shoes nasty black callused up feet.

Dogs were designed to walk on dirt not black pavement Dirt doesn't get hot like parking lots do. Anyone who walks there pet on hot pavement is a shouldn't have a dog.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by kell490

The dogs your talking about are the ones I see tied up to a chain their whole life in the backyard I guess their feet are okay on hot pavement? Those same dog owners who have their kids running around the streets with no shoes nasty black callused up feet.

Dogs were designed to walk on dirt not black pavement Dirt doesn't get hot like parking lots do. Anyone who walks there pet on hot pavement is a shouldn't have a dog.

Well, that's kind of funny because my GSD has thick pads and she's current T.U. on our couch sleeping. She's NEVER seen a chain and has NEVER spent a SINGLE night or full day in the yard btw.

She was bred and raised here in AZ, is far from stupid so I'm pretty sure she's aware of the heat especially given that when it hits triple digits, during the heat of the day she'll go out, look around and come right back in with a sigh.
Do I take her out for walks in triple digits? No I don't unless I drive her to our park to run around on the big lawn.

Did I take her out for her walk/run at 95 degrees at about 10am yesterday morning? Yep and her pads were just fine as was she.
I also avoid asphalt as much as possible as I don't like it sticking on her pads any more than I do my shoes and it's hotter than concrete.

[RenW]

Just a couple of comments/suggestions.

Hair Cuts:

Though short summer hair cuts are popular it actually isn't a good idea to have their hair cut unnaturally short in the summer.

From "Heat Wave! Should you shave your pet?"

“A dog’s coat is kind of like insulation for your house,” explains Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Hospital. “Insulation stops your home from getting too cold in winter, but it also keeps it from overheating in summer—and your dog’s coat does the same thing.”

Dogs’ coats have several layers, and these layers are essential to your dog’s comfort in the heat. Robbing your dog of this natural cooling system can lead to discomfort and overheating. And keeping your dog cool isn’t the only reason to leave his coat intact, Dr. Murray warns. Your dog’s coat prevents your pup from getting sunburn and helps protect her from skin cancer.

Leaving a Dog in Car:

As others mentioned it isn't a good idea to leave your dog in your car. I thought I would add the exact scientific data for your reference. The windows in our cars create a greenhouse effect.





Leaving the windows open or running the air conditioner before only slightly delays reaching dangerous temperatures.

Paws:

Concerned about my pups paws I got her a pair of shoes. I quickly realized that it wouldn't practically work because they were hard to put on her and took too long. I'm looking at getting her some paw wax to help protect her feet at the hottest time of the day. So far she has seemed to do fine without it as she runs off into the dirt from our concrete patio. At the peak hottest times of the days I wouldn't want to expose her to black asphalt even with the wax.

Going Outside:

We have a fenced in back yard. The nice thing about an area like Phoenix with dry heat is that it does cool down when the sun goes down (unlike areas with higher humidity). Mornings are a great time to get things done in the summer.

I spend more time with our pup outside in the mornings when it isn't so hot. That is when we tend to play fetch as well. During the middle of the day I don't go outside with her when she goes since it is just too hot for me. Some days she seems content to stay out longer (even laying out in the sun) and others she comes in fairly soon. The evenings are cooler but not as cool as the morning and dark as well. We let her out longer then as well to make up for being inside more during the middle of the day. We keep a dog bowl of water outside for her in the summer.