The recent UK heatwave has left lots of our furry friends rather unhappy. The hot weather makes our animals warm up and potentially dehydrate a lot more easily. This weather will affect the comfort – and possibly the health – of your dog.

A few quick tips to help keep your dog cool include:

• Provide lots of water for your dog and put ice cubes in it to help cool them down (no, it isn’t dangerous!)
• Walk your dog in the cooler parts of the day (early in the morning or late at night)
• Ensure your dog has a cooler place they can go, e.g. shade, shallow paddling pool or cold surface
• Ensure you do not enclose your dog in a small room as small areas quickly overheat which can stress out our dogs.
• Avoid taking your dog in your car.

Test the ground’s temperature before you let your dog out. If you cannot rest your hand firmly on the pavement for longer than 5 seconds or it is uncomfortable to do so then it is not suitable for your dog. The pad on the underside of your dog’s paw can become blistered if they come into contact with hot surfaces. If your dog has sensitive paws, it may be a good idea to purchase booties or some form of protection – we have a range of sizes available.

When walking your dogs, it is a good idea to carry water and a bowl with you so you can keep hydrating your animal as you exercise. Only walking your dog in cooler parts of the day may mean walking your dog less, this means your animal may need some extra stimuli to prevent boredom. You could provide ice cold/frozen treats or buy your dog a new toy to play with in the shade. If possible, you could take your dog to a local river/canal/beach for a swim providing it is safe to do so. Swimming is very tiring for dogs, though, so be careful not to give them too much time in the water.

Remember your animal’s bowl of water will warm up with the temperature, making it less appealing, so you will need to replace it much more regularly. Your dog will also be drinking a larger volume so check the dish more often to ensure it is not empty. Some breeds of dog may benefit by having their fur shaved or trimmed so there is less insulation of the skin.

You should speak to your vet before shaving your dog though as in some cases the fur can act as a sun block, so the removal could have an adverse effect. Your dog may also become cold without its insulation in cooler parts of the day. If your house gets warm or you need to leave your dog indoors for long periods of time, then we would recommend buying a fan or cooling mat. This gives the dog the option to cool down when and if they need to. Indications that your dog is too hot include sweating, panting, laying out, weakness, thirst, bright red gums and physically feeling hot to touch.

Dogs who become too hot may suffer from heat stroke which can cause the dog to collapse, go into shock, have seizures and even die. In this case you should put cool (not freezing) water on their skin, take them into a cooler area and call us immediately. Dogs can only sweat through their nose and foot pads which is why they overheat so easily.

If a dog is overheating, they will lose heat primarily by panting, although they do sweat a little too. These two methods remove water from the body which leads to dehydration if the water is not replaced.

The signs of dehydration are: lethargic behaviour, sunken eyes, salivation, confusion, increased breathing rate, dry mouth and nose. You can test the hydration status of your dog by pinching their skin and pulling it away from their body by a few cms. If the skin is hydrated, it should bounce back to its normal position soon after, but if the animal is dehydrated the skin will remain in the pulled out position. This technique does not work too well on breeds with excess skin folds so it is best to bring your dog straight in to us if you suspect they are severely dehydrated.

If your dog is extremely thirsty, ensure they do not drink the water too quickly as this can lead to water intoxication, which can lead to brain damage.

You should be aware that dogs can suffer from sunburn, especially pale coloured animals. You can apply non-toxic (i.e. animal-safe) sun cream to the animal’s skin or keep them inside while the sun is at its strongest (midday).

Always be aware of symptoms of your dog being too hot or dehydrated when the weather is warm, as catching the symptoms early prevents your dog’s condition from declining further. You need to keep a close eye on your dogs in the warm weather as they are particularly vulnerable!