Help Keep Your Pet Cool During the Summer Heat

With summer comes heat, lots of it, and people usually cool off by going indoors, swimming, or drinking lots of fluid. However if your pet is an outside dog they need some relief from the heat as well. Most animals know how to stay cool during the summer heat. Yet, you never see them sweating that’s because pets don’t have many sweat glands. What they do is pant. If you watch them they will find shade or a cool place, cut down on activity, and drink lots of water during the heat of the day. Pets are sometimes smarter than humans because they will drink lots of fluid and rest during the heat of the day, whereas, humans will try to play, not drink enough fluids, and work during the heat of the day.

Although they seem to be able to take cover when the heat bears down, there are things you can do to help your pet keep cool during the summer heat. The most important thing you can do to help keep your pet cool during the summer heat is make sure they have plenty of water. Pets will often kick their water bowl over throughout the day, spilling it all over the ground. Make sure you check their bowls throughout the day and keep filling it up. If you will be away during the day, make sure you place two bowls out for them. You can also move the bowl out of the path of where your pet usually roams but close enough for them to reach it. Another way to make sure your pet gets enough water is to put their bowls under a dripping faucet, since that may increase your water bill make sure the drip is slow but steady.

Another way to help keep your pet cool during the summer heat is to make sure they have plenty of areas available for shelter. Pets will find their own shelter whether it’s a tree, porch, or cool part of the ground that is shaded from the sun. If your pet is chained make sure their chain is long enough for them to reach shelter or shade. Make sure your pet’s shelter is really a cool place from the summer heat. Although, they seek shade it may still be too hot for them. If there are no other shady cool areas outside bring your pet inside. Summer heat above 98 degrees is like freezing weather below 10 degrees, it is too hot for your pet to be outside, so be a good friend and owner and bring them inside.

If your pet is an inside dog and is use to taking walks during the afternoon, just take him or her out for walks before the hottest time of day, during the morning or evening will work fine. If you take your pet for a ride make sure they have a window seat or can feel the air from the air condition. If you have leather seats that get extremely hot during the summer heat, make sure you put a cover over the seat. On long trips, make sure your pet is getting enough fluids. Never leave your pet inside a parked car for more than a couple of minutes. If you have to leave him for longer than a couple of minutes, make sure the windows are rolled down halfway to prevent them from jumping out. However, don’t leave your pet in the car for longer than 10-15 minutes or even less on an extremely hot day (90 and above).

Don’t cut your pet’s hair. You may think it looks hot or is making them hot but it really is keeping them cool. Their coat works like insulation, it keeps them cool during the summer heat and warm during the cold winter. Take your pet to the vet if they are panting very heavily or becomes lethargic, they could be suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Don’t force them to drink and wrap them up in cool blankets.