It’s never too early to start thinking about ways to keep your dog safe in summer, especially from the heat. Dogs left inside cars on hot days are at obvious risk, but those you might not think about are dogs who are outdoors for hours with no access to shade or fresh water, even on days that don’t seem excessively warm.
Protecting pets in hot weather means thinking about air conditioning, safety around pools and other bodies of water, and the effects of sun. Factors to consider are temperature and humidity, your dog’s activity level, and existing health conditions. These pet summer safety tips will help you to recognize and prevent canine sunburn, dehydration, heat exhaustion, and water hazards.
Sun Seekers
Does your dog love to lie out on hot asphalt or concrete? I’ve had several, including two with thick black coats, who loved nothing better than to toast themselves on a scorching summer day. Since we didn’t have a yard, that necessitated my staying outdoors with them. I’d give them 10 minutes before shooing them inside. But dogs who have free access to the outdoors without supervision are at risk of sunburn or—over the long term—skin cancer, especially if they have light-colored or thin skin with little coat cover.
Areas such as the nose and ears (or belly if your dog likes to lie on her back in the sun) are most likely to get sunburned or develop skin cancer. Apply sunscreen—one made specifically for dogs—any time your dog spends long hours outdoors, especially between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the sun’s rays are at their most powerful. Be sure to look for a water-resistant canine sunscreen if your dog plays in the water a lot.
Some dog sunscreen options include:
- Emmy’s Best Pet Products Sun Skin Protector Dog Spray
- Lucky Pup SPF 40 Lotion Dog Cream Sunscreen
- My Dog Nose It! Dog Sun Protection Balm
- Warren London Dog Sunscreen Spray
Provide reliable shade in your yard. Place covered beds or pup tents in different areas so your dog has a shady place to go throughout the day as the sun shifts if your deck or patio doesn’t have all-day cover. In extreme temperatures, though, dogs are better off inside with air-conditioning, especially if they are short-faced, or brachycephalic, breeds such as Bulldogs, Pekingese, or Pugs. Their airway structure makes it difficult for them to dissipate heat. Those dogs can die rapidly in hot, humid conditions. As little as half an hour outdoors at 85 degrees Fahrenheit can be fatal.
Dogs, especially brachycephalic breeds, can also die indoors if the power goes off during periods of extreme heat, leaving them with no air conditioning. Consider installing an app that will notify you of power outages in case you’re not at home or see if your electricity provider offers sign-ups for power-outage alerts. It’s also a good idea to have an emergency contact who can get to your house quickly if you cannot leave work to help your dogs.
Dog Hydration
At home, outside, and on the road, dogs should always have access to fresh water. Refresh it daily, or any time it looks dirty. Wash the bowl in warm, soapy water daily or run it through the dishwasher to remove the bacterial slime that can build up, especially in hot weather. If you’re hiking or at the beach, carry water and a collapsible pet bowl (use a carabiner to attach it to your backpack or bag) or a water bottle your dog can drink from.
In addition to fresh water, some fun treats to help your dog stay hydrated include:
- frozen cubes of low-sodium chicken broth, which you can add to water or give to the dog to lick
- a frozen watermelon cube (delicious, but high in sugar, so don’t give too many at once)
- frozen pumpkin cubes (mix plain canned pumpkin with low-sodium chicken broth or water and freeze in an ice-cube tray)
Dehydration symptoms in dogs include lethargy, lack of skin elasticity, dry or sticky gums, a dry nose, excessive panting, and sunken eyes. If your dog is exhibiting any of these symptoms, get them to drink some water right away. If they don’t improve, see your veterinarian. Severe dehydration calls for veterinary treatment.
High Temps and Hot Dogs
What is a dog’s heat tolerance? That depends. According to a 2016 study in Scientific Reports, significant risk factors include breed (Chow Chow, Bulldog, and French Bulldog were among those at higher risk), above-normal body weight, a brachycephalic skull shape, being over two years old, and weighing over 110 pounds (50 kg).
But heat exhaustion and heatstroke can affect any dog. In addition to flat-faced dogs, be especially cautious with:
- Obese dogs, whose excess body fat traps heat and makes it more difficult for them to cool down
- Dogs with heart or respiratory disease
- Dogs prone to laryngeal paralysis—think Labradors or Newfoundlands
- Dog prone to collapsing trachea, which includes most toy breeds
- Puppies
- Senior dogs
- Any dog with immature physiology or chronic health conditions
Don’t think your dog will be safe just because it’s not mid-summer yet. Lots of dogs experience heat exhaustion on those surprise spring or fall days that are unusually warm. Without treatment, heat exhaustion can become heat stroke, which is a medical emergency.
Signs of heat exhaustion in dogs include:
- Excessive or continuous panting
- Fatigue
- Dark-red gums or pale gums
- Thick, ropey drool
- Dizziness or confusion
- Nausea with vomiting or diarrhea
- Collapse or seizures
- Loss of consciousness
Immersion in cold water will help to lower your dog’s temperature (the idea that cold water will send them into shock has been debunked). If immersion isn’t possible, use evaporative cooling: Get her into an air-conditioned building or car or shaded or indoor area, wet her head, neck, and underbelly, and direct a fan toward her. Seek veterinary help, as this can be a medical emergency, especially if your dog has lost consciousness.
Dogs primarily cool themselves off by panting, although they also sweat a little through their foot pads. If you notice your dog is panting heavily—especially if her tongue looks abnormally long and wide and her lips are pulled back—it’s time to help her cool off. Here are some ways to help a dog stay cool, whether at home or out and about:
- Schedule walks for early morning or at twilight.
- At parks, the beach, or outdoor dog sports events, provide shelter with a pup tent, soft crate made of UV-resistant fabric, or wire crate with a shade cover. If you are using a crate, make sure it has very good ventilation—think screens on all four sides and the top—to keep it from getting dangerously hot for your dog.
- In your yard, use shade sails, canopies, or tarps made of UV-resistant fabric to offer shade.
- On walks, carry a sprayer filled with water and mist paws and groin along the way to help keep your dog cool.
- Booties protect tender paws from hot asphalt, concrete, and sand.
- Cooling mats and cooling coats and bandanas are helpful to prevent overheating, but they must be kept wet throughout the day.
- Acclimate dogs gradually to exercising in hot weather. The more conditioned they are, the better they’ll tolerate it.
Water Safety for Dogs
If you have a water-loving dog, you probably spend a lot of time in and around water with them. What to know to prevent problems:
*Beware of harmful algae blooms at lakes and ponds—contact can lead to illness or even death for both dogs and humans. Remember that harmful algae isn’t always visible. It’s best to check with your state conservation or health department to see if the water has been tested before letting your dog too close. At the ocean, be mindful of red tides, which present similar dangers. Identify them through the presence of dead fish, respiratory irritation, and public health advisories. Again, there won’t always be visible changes in water color, so check first.
*Keep an eye on your swimming or body-surfing dog. While dogs naturally ingest water while swimming, swallowing too much (either fresh or saltwater) can lead to potentially fatal sodium imbalances. To help prevent this, don’t let your dog swim for more than 15 to 20 minutes without a break out of the water. Also, keep water fetch playtime short to limit the amount of water your dog ingests. For more information, see “Water Intoxication in Dogs Can Be Deadly.”
*At swimming pools, always teach your dog how to find the steps and use them to get out or provide a Skamper-Ramp or similar product for ease of exiting. Skamper-Ramps are good to have on boats, too.
*Protect old or blind pets from falling in by putting up a pool fence or other barrier, or put a pool alarm in the water that will go off if a pet falls in.
* Some dogs just aren’t built to swim, especially if they have big heads or short legs. Around water, keep a watchful eye on Basset Hounds, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, Dachshunds, and Pugs.
