Dog Days of Summer Finally Arrive

Its August and the reports say we are going to have our first truly hot and humid week here in NYC (and around the nation as well). It is crucial to keep our pets out of the heat when it reaches dangerous levels. Ninety-plus is dangerous for our dogs because dogs cannot regulate their body temperatures the way other creatures can, and, they cannot cool themselves off when they overheat--and they do quickly overheat, even in eighty-plus temp's when the humidity is high and the sun is strong. High temperature combined with high humidity creates super-heated air and as the dog pants in an attempt to cool himself, he isn't getting any benefit because the air is super-heated.

In my experience, the typical signs a dog is overheating are excessive panting, drooling, lethargy or pacing, and with the Bully breeds or dogs that are almost always panting or drooling, check their gums and inner lips--if they are beet red, the dog is already overheated, if pale, white, the dog isn't getting enough oxygen. These are true medical emergencies requiring prompt veterinary intervention.

Especially at risk are the very young puppies, the elderly (a dog is "old" starting at around age 5 or 6, depending on the breed), the ill and ailing (dogs with asthma, heart disease, arthritis, etc.), and, breeds that are low to the ground (our small dogs, esp the Dachshund) and those with the adorable pushed in faces--the Pug, Frenchie, Bulldog, Shih Tzu, Boston Terrier. Please be especially careful with the Bulldog type (Frenchie, Pug, Boston too) as these breeds overheat into life-threatening zones very quickly and without much warning, and, cooling them down is critical to their survival.

Be smart. Prevent your dog from the risk of overheating in the first place.

• Going out for a ride in your car? DO NOT LEAVE THE DOG IN THE CAR, EVEN IF YOU LEAVE THE AC RUNNING. The motor could stall. A dog in a car in the heat is a dog certain to die.
• Going out for brunch? LEAVE THE DOG HOME--DON'T TETHER HIM TO THE METER WHILE YOU'RE IN THE AIR CONDITIONED RESTAURANT.
• Are you going for your daily run anyway? LEAVE YOUR DOG HOME IN THE AIR CONDITIONING!
• Are you going to ride your bike anyway in the heat? LEAVE YOUR DOG HOME IN THE AIR CONDITIONING.
• Going rollerblading? DON'T BRING YOUR DOG.
• Taking your dog out for his or her walk? TAKE BRIEF POTTY-BREAKS, WALK IN THE SHADE, AND TRY TO TAKE WALKS AT THE COOLEST TIME OF THE DAY. Make sure you bring cool water along and a bowl for the dog (they don't get the cooling benefit from water dripping out of a bottle).
• Is your dog a member of a dog-walker's pack? CANCEL THE PACK WALK AND HIRE A ONE ON ONE WALKER. Dogs in packs aren't able to walk at their own pace, and, often are out way too long in bad weather. And many packs combine small dogs with larger dogs. The little dogs just can't walk as fast as the big ones, and, they're closer to the hot sidewalks.

Do keep hydrating your dog, offering cool water to drink. Do keep his/her paws wet. Do stay in the shade, seek the cool spots outside. Pay attention to your dog. When in doubt, cool the dog with cool water on feet and paws, head and ears, but, don't shock the dog with ice, and, get him (or her) to the emergency vet hospital immediately while keeping him in air conditioning, shade, and as cool as possible.

I'm deadly serious about this. You should know that I have witnessed dogs who died on NY's streets in heat waves (non of mine, thank heaven). There's just no reason why you should be risking your dog's life. We all love our dogs and want to spend time with them, go running, walking, bike riding with them etc. But, do you want to risk losing your dog to heat-stroke? If I see you and your dog running in Central Park this week, I'll be very disappointed.

And if you're lucky enough to go swimming and your dog comes with, please don't allow the dog to swim thinking that will cool him. He or she may already be too overheated and unable to safely swim. Do get him wet, but, make sure you've got a nice, cool, shadey and breezy spot for him to rest afterwards (not in the car, not in his crate).

The bottom line is this: heat-stroke is a serious and life-threatening problem for our dogs. Let's keep our dogs home in the AC or fan.

And please remember to check on your neighbors and their pets as well. Not everyone has or can afford to run air conditioning. Woof!