There’s a few simple things you can do to keep your pet cool during the summer.

1) Give them water, water, and more water! Believe it or not I’ve been to many homes when it’s 95 degrees outside and the dog is outside and doesn’t have any water. You must keep lots of water for the dog in a spot or bowl that cannot be tipped over. A baby pool is a great idea for cooling off.

2) Shade. Your dog will stay much cooler if he has some grass or shade to lay in.

3) Air Conditioning. Bring your dog inside when it’s really really hot.

4) Car Rides. NEVER leave your dog in the car when it’s hot outside. If you must, leave the car running with the AC on and check the car often. BEWARE: A highway patrolman’s K9 dog recently died from Heat Exaustion when his car accidently died out. The leading cause of heat exhaustion and heat stroke is
leaving a dog in a hot car.

According to Dr. William Fortney, assistant professor of clinical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University there are several stages a dog suffering from heat exhaustion goes through. Heavy panting is the first. That soon gives way to huffing and puffing and the dog will lie down or collapse. If left untreated it will slip into unconsciousness and die. The first step pet owners should take if their dog is suffering from heat exhaustion is to cease all activity, get the animal out of the sun and give it water, Fortney said. “The owner can then put the dog in the bath tub or let the garden hose run for a few seconds and then spray the dog down. Then it can be placed in front of a fan which will aid in evaporation,” Fortney said. “Ice bags can also be placed around the dog’s head and neck.” Fortney also said it is important to start the cooling process as soon as possible. “A person’s first reaction might be to jump in the car and get the dog to a veterinarian, but in a case of heat exhaustion this is the wrong thing to do,” Fortney said. “When a dog’s temperature has reached 108 or 110 degrees it can only take a couple of minutes before brain damage can occur. The car ride could take five to 10 minutes, so the owner needs to cool the dog down before taking it to a veterinarian.”

As responsible dog owners we must do our best to think about our dogs and keep them cool as the summer temperatures keep rising.