The Dog Days of Summer!

Why do we call the summertime "dog days?"  Find out now and learn the safest and most effective ways to keep your dog safe, healthy, happy and cool in the "Dog Days" this year!  The information is so helpful and can be lifesaving in the intense summer heat. 

Transcript

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Grab your cup, hug your puff, and join us for Peace in the Pack's Canine Coffee Talk. Hi, I'm Nancy T, your Canine Behavioral Specialist and owner of Peace in the Pack. And once again, we welcome you to our podcast. Well, you know what? Here we are, heading into, if not already in, the dog days of summer. And I like that expression, dog days of summer, because, well, obviously, I love dogs. So, but of course the connotation is very hot. Not exactly sure why that connects with dogs, but it just does. Now you know what? I'm gonna do a little research. Hang on. I will tell you now why it's dog days of summer. I know it has something to do with a star. I think it's a star Sirius. The dog star. Yes, here it is. Yep, Sirius is known as the dog star because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major. And in Latin, that translates to greater dog. This prominent and brilliant star was designated as the dog's heart, earning its famous nickname. Oh, that's really cool. And it's at its brightest in the midsummer period when it's naturally hot. So yeah. And Dog Star, that's also the name of uh Keanu Reeves band, too. I I saw them. I saw them one time, they were really good. But anyway, I digress. We've had our share of heat waves already this year. So it definitely warrants talking about keeping your dogs cool. What to do? How do we do it? I've done several little mini posts on that too, as well, on Facebook and Instagram. But let's dedicate this to a podcast. So grab your cup, hug your pup, and snuggle in with them. Right now I have my iced coffee because it is hot. So I have iced coffee right now. Do you have the uh caramel latte, and I have Pex and Penny right here next to me. They are snoozing soundly. Please give your very best friend a big snuggle for me and snuggle them in as we get started, okay? And it's all about keeping them safe this summer from heat exhaustion, from heat stroke, and just plain uncomfortability all around when it gets to be very hot weather. Overall, you want to make sure your dog stays comfortable, cool, just like us, right? Think of what we would like. You know, I love the sun, I gotta be honest with you, but when it's really hot, not so much. So let's talk about the sun first before we get into the whole heat thing. So dogs love the sun just the way we do, and like I just mentioned, I do too. But when it's too, too hot, I need to get out of it. And the same thing with our dogs. They innately and instinctively love the sun. It's good for their muscles, it's good mentally for them. They have the same circadian rhythm we do, so it helps them with their sleep-wake cycles. Your dog is probably one of those dogs that even when they're inside, like to bask in the sun, find that spot by a window or door. I know both of mine do. Penny loves it, and so does Pax. Actually, Pax loves to sit in the sun outside just for a little bit, not for a long time, just to grab a few rays and then run back in. So it is a natural instinctive thing. But did you know the dogs do get sunburned? They are very vulnerable, as are we. So even though they have their fur, they get sunburned. That's why it's actually important not to shave your dog in the summer. You know, I know dogs with heavy coats, people innately feel bad, you know, because we think of ourselves, but it is not the case with them. It actually protects them from the sun. So, more importantly, is to keep them in the shade, keep them cool, keep them out of the sun and out of the heat. But removing the fur is an unnatural way to do it. I'm not saying it's bad if you've done it. We've all done it at one point or another. Some of the dogs look really cute, but I mean, purposefully trying to remove the hair due to the the heat really doesn't benefit them the way that you think. Now, if it's a cut that's, you know, a typical grooming cut is different. But strictly for the heat, it's not a natural way to go about that. You're better off just keeping them cool. You know, it doesn't hurt them, but it doesn't benefit them. It is better to have them keep their own coat. Anyway, sunburns are very common on dogs, especially on the ear tips, the bridge of the nose, the belly, and the groin area. And anywhere that fur seems light or sparse, or there's an area of skin sticking through. More at risk for sunburn, of course, are dogs with light fur and also dogs with very thin coats or no coats, like the hairless breeds, Chinese crested, of course, chihuahua, the boxers, Dalmatians, beagles, bulldogs, weimaraners, greyhounds, pit bulls, white German shepherds, having that light colored coat, etc. Of course, never use human sunscreen on a dog. It is just toxic, basically, especially if they go to lick it. So never do that. Instead, of course, be proactive in keeping them safe from the sun and the heat. Provide earlier morning walks or walks later in the day. Provide plenty of shade and opportunities to get out of the sun when they are outside. Make sure their time in the sun is limited. Aside from the shade, always provide plenty of fresh water. And of course, make it always available to them, always accessible. Now, speaking of water, this is important, guys, and not a lot of people know this. If our dogs are too overexcited, too overheated, and drink voraciously, they can be susceptible to what's called water intoxication. Now, please let me explain. This does not mean we stop the water. No, no, no. We always, always, always have fresh water available and accessible to them at all times, at all times. But we don't want our dogs to drink water in an overexcited, overheated, unnatural state. Not voraciously to where they're taking in so much so fast and they are overheated. Bottom line, we want to keep our dogs calm and cool, right? That's the goal. If they must drink that way, they must drink in smaller intervals. That's it. They still need water, but drink in smaller intervals to avoid this problem. Because if they take in water too rapidly, too voraciously, in this overexcited, overheated state, it dilutes their body's sodium levels, causing cells to swell, including cells in the brain. That could lead to severe neurological issues. And this would require a vet's visit ASAP. Symptoms to look for would be lethargic behavior, very tired, uncoordinated if your dog is staggering, if they're nauseous, vomiting, drooling, if their abdomen seems bloated, similar to bloat with food, pale gums, dilated eyes, or glazed look, or anything unnatural, that would require a vet's visit ASCP. This is yet another reason why to keep our dogs calm and cool and not over excited and certainly not overheated. So let's look at it this way. We keep the water present for them, but we also keep them nice and cool. Now, what I'm talking about is when a dog is obviously out in the sun too long, was overactive in a weather such as a heat wave, exerting way too much activity in temperatures that are way too high for the dog to bear. Of course, at that point the dog is going to be voracious when they drink water, and that's not the type of situation you ever want. But the water should always be available to them. Now I'm not talking about a dog who's excited to drink water or who is just playing and drinking water. That is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a dog who's so exasperated, who really needs water, who's excessively hot, excessively overexcited, to over-exercise in high levels of heat, just not natural. Okay, so overheating we know to avoid. But how about overexcitement? Now, you have so many dogs that love water, a lot of retrievers, as well as many other breeds. That's great. And it's great to play with them. But overexcitement can also induce this. So be very careful when you're playing with the dog in the summertime with the hose or even water sprinklers, things like that. When they take in a lot of water, that can cause it too. So, yes, we want them to be happy and have fun. But again, moderation. Just have the dog take some more breaks. Just don't let the excitement go completely excessive. Don't let too much water rapidly get ingested by the dog. Whatever the activity is, make sure the dog stops and take breaks. Simple as that. And you can avoid a major problem. Also, swimming, great summer activity, great to cool off, but just be mindful of how much water your dog is ingesting. You could take breaks, swim in moderation, and just make sure your dog isn't taking in that much water at one time to create a problem. Other than that, provide plenty of fresh water and let playtime resume. Being mindful is such an important thing throughout all this, and moderation is key in everything. Let's check heat exhaustion. This is really important. Now a dog's normal body temperature ranges anywhere from 101 degree Fahrenheit to 102 degrees, actually 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38.3 degrees Celsius to 39.2 degrees Celsius. So if a dog's core body temperature rises above that normal range, that can produce heat exhaustion. And honestly, that can escalate very, very rapidly to heat stroke, which is very dangerous because that can cause irreversible organ damage and prove to be fatal. So heat exhaustion is very, very, very serious to make sure that doesn't escalate into heat stroke. Dogs can't sweat like us. They they don't have the capacity to sweat like humans. They rely primarily on panting. That releases their heat. If a dog is heavily panting, excessively panting, they are struggling. They shouldn't have to be in the heat or in the sun that long to get to that state. Because not only would they drink water too rapidly, but like we just spoke about, which can cause a problem, but also they can go directly into a heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Heavy panting is the first most obvious sign, followed by very frantic or rapid breathing. If you want to check the gums, just like we mentioned earlier, pale gums, bright red, dark purple, or dark blue, anything that's unnatural is a sign. Physical weakness, stumbling, disorientation, sudden collapse. If they seem disoriented, if their gaze is off, they're heading into a high level of distress. Vomiting or diarrhea can occur. Just attend to the panting first. None of those symptoms should occur, guys, because that's taking too long. The heavy panting is your first sign to absolutely remove the dog from that situation. Directly get them out of the sun, into the shade, into air conditioned. You'd have to bypass the shade at that point because the air is probably very, very heavy, humid, high heat. So I would move them directly into an air-conditioned area, a breezy area, or a fanned area in front of a fan. Now cooling down with some cool water, this is good to do even if the dog is just a little bit hot, or you're just trying to keep them slightly cool, even without heat exhaustion. Now you want cool water, not ice, but cool water. And here's the thing: we as humans think originally where we would want to feel cool, but it doesn't work that way for dogs. You want to put cool water, not icy, but cool water, on maybe a washcloth. You put that over their neck, their chest, their abdomen, and their paw pads. Those are the really important areas. Okay? Not over their head. We don't want ice water because that constricts blood vessels. That actually traps heat inside the body. You want cool water. Cool water. A veterinarian, my vet, actually told me cool water on a washcloth is your best bet. And apply to those areas I just mentioned. Chest, over the neck, abdomen, and paw pads. Now, if it is heat exhaustion, remember you're offering water at this state. It's going to be in moderation, just little gulps here and there, because you don't want that excessive drinking at this point. Don't force them to drink and don't let them gulp. We just want small sips. And enough sips, of course, in time that he's not dehydrated, but not all at once. So you want to make sure to check the temperature at that point. But above and beyond that, I would say vet A-SAP. So I would personally, the way I look at it, this is the chain of events that we're talking about and how it escalates so rapidly. But for me, my advisement is they're not in that situation, of course, at all. They have shade provided and all of that. But if they did get into that situation, my first advice is when you notice the heavy panting or notice panting in general that seems a little excessive, that's when you stop. Don't wait for any other symptom to occur. Take them out of that heat, out of the sun, in a cooler environment, preferably a fan or an air-conditioned environment, and start to apply cool water. Also offer fresh water to drink and in moderation at that point, because you want to err on the side of caution and make sure that they're hydrated and in smaller intervals. A few sips, stop, a few sips, stop. Just to make sure they're not to a level of overheating that they may have water intoxication as well. But the goal here, guys, is to keep them safe from this, right? So we're going to make sure they are in shaded areas. We're going to make sure they always are hydrated. We're going to make sure you take them out early in the morning and later in the evening. We're going to make sure that they're not ever out in a heat wave, like we were talking about earlier. A lot of this time with the heat wave, you have to, you have to limit their walks. You know, I'm a big proponent of walks, but listen, I work with dogs every day. And I provide my peace walks every month. I've had to reschedule them, I've had to cancel them, postpone them, do whatever I need to do to make sure those dogs and people are not in that excessive heat. Because as important as the walk is, and as important as they need to do their business, it has to be at a time of the day for their walk when it's safe for them. And of course, they have to do their business at any time they need to, but you have to make other provisions. It has to be quickly outside, puppy pads if need be, find other provisions because these dogs cannot be out in excessive heat for an excessive amount of time. Now you want to also be sure of where they're walking. Did you know that asphalt, concrete, and sand absorb and radiate heat, becoming very dangerously hot? Way too hot for your dog's paw pads. In fact, pavement temperatures can be 40 degrees to 60 degrees hotter than air temperature. That's crazy hot. In fact, asphalt on an 85 degree day can exceed 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Oh no, that's just way too hot. I always advocate the foot test. Now you heard of the hand test, maybe, but foot test I think is more accurate. And this is it. If it's too hot for you to walk on barefoot, then it's absolutely too hot for your dog. Okay? So if you want to take your foot flap off or your sandals or your sneakers or your shoes or your Crocs and say, listen, oh my goodness, my foot is hot. Or if you want to put your a lot of people do the hand test. I say the foot test because if you can't walk on it, not just touch it, but if you can't walk on it yourself barefoot, then absolutely do not allow those four paw pads to step on there. Because listen, guys, my dog sugar, who I love dearly, I know she's in heaven, and she's the one I told you, taught me this whole field of canine behavior. And so I give her my heart and soul. But when I found her on the highway, where she was, her paw pads were raw. And my vet said at that point he's never seen that. All four pads were completely raw and bloody. And it's horrendous to know that she had to walk on the highway in the summer months, the heat of the summer months. And thank God I found her and I rescued her. But listen, I came across it firsthand, and hopefully nobody ever has to see that. But to avoid that or anything near that, even a blister, even just a red mark is too much. If it's too hot for us to walk, it is too hot for them to walk. Find a grassy area, walk them at a time that it's very shaded, walk them in the shade, you know, find other outlets. Do not let them walk on hot cement. Do not let them walk on concrete that's too hot, asphalt that's too hot, hot sand, anywhere where they can get burned. So I say, if you do your test yourself on your foot, that's that's gonna be enough. Because if you can't walk on it without screaming because you couldn't put your foot down, then they can't walk on it either. Okay? So all those things will definitely keep your dog safe. And we want playtime to be safe. We want you to enjoy your time with your dog. So yes, moderation is key. Stay calm, stay cool, and always think of what's best for you and your dog. Thanks for joining us today, guys. Please check out my website at peaceinthepack.com. If you have any questions about anything, if you have any topics you'd like to hear, please send them my way or my assistant's way. She's Jamie, J-A-I-M-E, peaceinthepack at yahoo.com, and I'm Nancy at peaceinthepack.com, and both of us would be very happy to help you. And I'll be able to help you if you have any behavioral questions or concerns that involves you and your dog. And in the meantime, check back on my website for new classes that'll be heading up soon that I'll be giving on Udemy. And also we do a bi-weekly podcast. I really hope that you'll follow along. Um Pax just chimed in. I don't know if you can hear him. He's sleeping and he's uh he's in the middle of a dream, so I'm gonna have to attend to him soon if he gets upset because sometimes he starts kicking in his in his sleep. He's a greyhound. And yeah, he loves to he loves to run in his sleep. But anyway, um, so check back and please follow. Lots of great podcast ideas coming my way from a lot of listeners, so we're attending to those. Some question and answer ones coming up soon, too. Breed specific ones, lots of good stuff. So stop back next time. In the meantime, do your best to create peace in your pack. Because remember, peace changes everything. Take care.