How to prevent heatstroke in dogs?

The season of sunny days is right around the corner, and with it comes the promise of fun outdoor activities like swimming, camping, hiking, and picnicking. 

It is that time of the year when you can take your pooch out for a puppuccino or share with them a bit of harmless ice cream. You can also take them to a pet-friendly pool and let them have some fun.

But what if the summer becomes a sweltering nightmare for your canine companion?

Even with all the fun activities, when you take them out for walks, the scorching summer heat can make your pooch severely sick, leaving them with heat exhaustion and dehydration. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss the major health-related risks for dogs during summer and how to mitigate them.

Let’s dive in!

5 Health-Related Risks for Dogs During Summer

The heat can be unbearable and uncomfortable for us humans. Imagine how it must be for our fur kids, who can't take their thick coats off.

So how much heat is too much for dogs during summer?

It is normally safe for dogs up to 19°C (68°F), but once the temperature exceeds this, it is a matter of concern. Dogs are susceptible to heat stroke even in low temperatures of 20°C (70°F). 

Some dogs are more sensitive to heat than others. If your dog is a large breed like a German Shepherd, Golden Retriever or Saint Bernard, flat-faced like Pug or Shih tzu, has a dark coat, is a puppy or a senior dog, you must take extra care. 

Here are some of the common health risks you need to look out for during summer:

1. Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a potentially fatal condition that strikes when a dog's body temperature rises dramatically to unsafe levels. It can harm organs, cause seizures, and possibly lead to death.

The following signs may appear in dogs experiencing heatstroke:

• Increased breathing rate
• Unusual gum color
• Bleeding from the gums
• Sticky or dry gums
• Feeling lethargic or disoriented
• Having seizures
• Fever (dry and hot nose)

If your fur child is exercising or playing in the sun for a prolonged period on a hot day, the chances of this happening are higher.

2. Sunburn Risk

Is it possible for dogs to get sunburned?

As a matter of fact, yes!

Like humans, canines are susceptible to sunburn too and are vulnerable to other conditions and ailments that are brought on by sun exposure. The following are some of the symptoms of sunburn in dogs:

• Dry or cracked ear tips
• Skin ulcers
• Sore or tender skin
• Hair loss patches
• Wounds or rashes
• Red or pink skin

Dogs that are most vulnerable to sunburns are the ones that have thin fur or skin. Canines with pink skin generally have less melanin in their skin, increasing their risk of sunburn too. Like people, dogs are more likely to get skin infections if they get sunburned frequently.

3. Heat Stress

Hot weather can be really stressful for our fur babies. They can become agitated, cranky, less active, and restless when they're feeling uncomfortable, ultimately leading to behavioral issues. 

Heat stress in dogs is less severe when compared to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Dogs, during heat stress, can be found panting excessively and increasingly thirsty. When the symptoms worsen, it leads to heat exhaustion and then, ultimately, heat stroke.

4. Heat Exhaustion

Your pooch may experience heat exhaustion if they are unable to maintain their body temperature as a result of the increasing summer heat. Heat exhaustion can be identified by the following symptoms:

• Excessive panting
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Episodes of collapsing
• Fever
• Muscle tremors
• Vomiting or diarrhea

Don't ignore it if your fur child exhibits any signs of illness, lethargy, or other abnormal behaviour during the scorching summer months. 

Take them to the vet ASAP! 

5. Dehydration

As the temperature rises, one of the most obvious concerns is that your pooch might become dehydrated. Your fur child may start to lose water more quickly due to increased heat, which could be dangerous.

The following are symptoms of canine dehydration:

• Panting
• Sunken eyes
• Dry gums
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Dry nose
• Weakness
• Collapse
• Thick saliva
• Loss of skin elasticity

Dehydration itself is a sign of other heat-related issues for dogs during summer, so you need to be careful about it.

So how to tackle these inconveniences and make summer a really enjoyable season for our furry friends?

Simple: By investing in a high-quality and sturdy summer jacket for dogs constructed with evaporative cooling technology!

Why Are Summer Jackets for Dogs Important?

 

You must have seen dogs constantly pant during the summer. This is because dogs cannot sweat like humans, and hence, panting helps them to cool down. However, due to soaring temperatures, panting may not always be enough to ease their heat stress.

Now you might think that giving regular baths would do and keep conditions like heat stroke and heat exhaustion at bay. But you couldn’t be more wrong. 

Moreover, giving dogs frequent baths or making them wet everyday to fight the heat is not an ideal solution. Rather it could lead to other health problems as fur doesn’t quickly dry up as human skin.

That’s why you need a summer jacket built with evaporative cooling technology for your fur baby.

How Does Evaporative Cooling Work?

The idea behind evaporative cooling is that as water evaporates, it draws heat from its surroundings. This is the same concept behind how sweating on a hot day makes you feel cool as a result of your body heat being absorbed by the evaporating sweat.

Here’s another instance: We all like to splash water on our faces or take a bath after coming back home on a hot day. And after that when we come in contact with air or stand under a ceiling fan, we start feeling cool. 

That’s exactly what evaporative cooling is!

Imagine the same concept being used to construct a summer jacket for dogs, made of a unique material that can both absorb and hold onto water.

So how does that work?

The jacket is soaked in water and pulled out, making the fabric saturated with moisture. As the water evaporates from the jacket, it draws out heat from your fur child's body, providing a cooling effect and making walkies an all-time pleasant activity.

Now that you are aware of the reasons for getting your pooch a summer jacket as part of their summer essentials, the only concern that remains is where do you buy them.

Zoof Pets Has Got Your Back!

Whether you're going for a walk, spending the day at the park, chilling at the poolside, at a picnic, or camping, your fur child will stay cool and comfortable all throughout. 

Thanks to the introduction of summer jackets built with evaporative cooling mechanism, now you both can enjoy some quality time bonding together outdoors.

We have launched the Zoof Summer Cooling Jacket. Our summer jacket is made up of three layers of fabric:

1. The bottom layer is a comfortable lining material that hugs your pupper's fur and prevents it from feeling wet.

2. The magical middle layer is the one that holds water and allows for slow evaporation, removing heat from your fur child's body and leaving a cooling effect.

3. The top layer of the jacket is made of mesh that allows for water to evaporate. This layer also structures and holds the shape of the jacket while it is worn.

This summer essential for dogs comes in all sizes, providing comfort during outdoor activities, reducing stress levels, and preventing sunburns, heat strokes, and heat exhaustion.

So why not order one today and give your fur child the gift of comfort this summer? They'll thank you for it with sloppy kisses all over your face.

To order now or learn more about this product, click here.