Sarah Muihead, senior dog care manager at Austin Pets Alive, explains six tips for pet owners.
1. How can pet owners measure when the pavement is too hot for their dog?
You can purchase the little handheld thermometers; it’s almost like a little laser gun. You point and shoot to see what the temperature is. Another thing that you can do if you don’t have access to that or don’t want to purchase that is using the back of your hand. If you place the back of your hand on the surface and you can’t hold it there for a good 5-10 seconds it’s going to be too hot for your pets as well.
2. What temperatures would you say are the most dangerous for dogs?
When we talk about temperature, we typically talk about the "feels like" temperature as opposed to the air temperature. That’s really more important just like it is for people. We start having weather restrictions in place when it gets to 90 degrees [Fahrenheit] "feels like," but really anything over 100 [degrees] is really, really brutal.
3. What are the symptoms of overheating in pets?
A lot of the time, dogs, when they start to overheat, will move slower. If your dog is normally really rambunctious and likes running around the yard, and you find that they are looking really tired, they will lay down, they will pant quite a bit. Those are all signs that they probably need to be moved into a cooler area.
4. If a dog does experience symptoms of overheating, what can a pet owner do?
The first thing would be to take them into a cooler location. A bath could help reduce their temperature. You don’t want to use super cold water; that can kind of shock the body, so just a normal room temperature kind of water level to help cool that down.
5. What are the things owners can do to keep their dogs cool when they are at the river or the beach?
Anytime they can get in water, whether it’s a swimming pool or a lake, without the algae, those kinds of things, that will help keep dogs cool. Obviously access to cold water is always great. Another thing that I like to tell people to do is to take some frozen snacks. So, you can freeze things like chicken broth, toss those in your cooler, and then you can give those to your dogs when you’re out and about, and help keep them cool.
6. What are the most common mistakes you see dog owners doing with their animals in hot weather?
First and foremost, walking them on pavement or concrete—any surfaces that are too hot. It’s highly recommended that if you do need to be out and about with your dogs that you are making sure to stay on grassy areas when possible. Also, with double-coated dogs—shepherds and huskies—you never want to shave them. That double coat actually helps them regulate their temperature not only in cold weather, but in hot weather.
