A dog’s fur coat and inability to sweat to keep cool, make them more prone to heat-stress than people. Dogs with especially furry coats, pets with respiratory disease, or dogs with short noses, such as pugs and bulldogs, will be even more affected by the heat and warrant additional precautions.
Always monitor your dog closely when outside in the summer. Try to limit walks to the early morning or evening hours when the temperature is cooler. Also, take walks according to your pet’s abilities, and be willing to cut the exercise short if he is tiring faster than normal or is panting heavily. A good grooming to trim down excess fur can also be beneficial for very fuzzy dogs.
Signs of complications from heat stress can include weakness, collapse and labored breathing. Should your pet demonstrate these signs while outside, he should be seen immediately by a veterinarian, so feel free to contact us at Hudson Veterinary Hospital for assistance.