THE HEAT IS ON: SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FOR PET OWNERS
 It’s summertime, and the living isn’t always easy for our animal companions. Dogs and cats can suffer from the same problems that humans do—overheating, dehydration and even sunburn—when the mercury rises. By taking these simple precautions, you can keep your animal companions happy and healthy in the hot weather:
* Exercise your dog in the cool of the early morning or evening—never when it's extremely hot or humid. Take care not to let your dog stand on hot asphalt, as his sensitive paw pads can easily burn.
* Provide plenty of shade and cool, clean water for animals kept outdoors. And during the hottest part of the day, please bring your cat or dog inside to rest in a cool part of the house.
* Never leave your animal alone in a vehicle. Overheating can be fatal. Even with the doors open, a parked automobile can become a furnace in no time. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day.
* Some animals will need extra special care in hot weather, especially those who are elderly and overweight or have heart or lung disease. Certain breeds of dogs, including French Mastiffs, French Bulldogs, Pekingese, Boston Terrier, Pugs, Bulldogs, Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzus, to name a few, also need extra attention on hot days. If your pet is showing signs of heat stroke or exhaustion, take him to your veterinarian immediately. |
Brachycephalic Dogs
Heat Stress
Because of all these upper respiratory obstructions, the brachycephalic dog is an enefficient panter. A dog with a more conventional face and throat is able to pass air quickly over the tongue through panting. Saliva evaporates from the tongue as a ir is passed across and the blood circulating through the tongye is efficiently cooled and circulated back to the rest of the body.
In the brachycephalic dog, so much extra work is required to move the same amount of air that the airways become inflamed and swollen. This leads to a more sever obstruction, distress, and further over-heating.
BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS ARE THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR HEAT STROKE.
Altogether, the upper airways of the brachycephalic dog compromises his or her ability to take in air. Under normal conditions the compromise is not great enough to cause a problem; however, an owner should take care not to let the dog become grossly overweight or get too hot in the Summer months. |
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