Summer Heat Tips for Dogs and Cats

I love summer and after a slow start this season, it’s finally starting to feel like it! We love to be outside with our dogs. They love to chase us around the yard, swim in the ocean, and play fetch with my son. Our French Bulldog, Rubble, quickly tells us when he’s had enough. We often let him be a lazy dog and don’t push him, because as a brachycephalic dog (short noses like Bulldogs, Pugs and Boxers), his airway is already restricted and this is one of the main ways he cools himself down.

Panting

While humans have millions of sweat glands, dogs primarily pant to cool off — rapid, shallow breaths, lips pulled back and mouth open wide to increase the surface area. Breathing rate during panting can reach over 300 breaths per minute. When a dog pants, moisture evaporates from the tongue, mouth, and upper airway and the heat from their body is exchanged with cool air and keeps their body temperature stable. But when the outside temperature is warmer than their bodies, the heat exchange fails and their temperatures climb and without an alternative pathway to cool down, this can be life threatening. Panting can be effective, but easily compromised in certain breeds like Rubble. As pets age, many older pets have a more difficult time cooling down and if your pet is carrying a few extra pounds, it’s going to be even tougher. Besides obesity, other diseases like epilepsy (seizures) and some toxins can predispose pets to dangerous hyperthermia.

Dogs do sweat…but not like us humans. Dogs have sweat glands on their paws, but they don’t do a very good job helping them cool down. Sometimes you may only feel a bit of moisture or stickiness to their paws. In warm conditions, dogs can dilate blood vessels near the skin’s surface (especially in the ears and face), allowing more heat to dissipate into the environment through the skin.

Seeking Shade

Dogs naturally seek cooler places: tile floors, shady grass, or lying flat on their stomachs to maximize surface area. They will also slow down or stop playing when they start to overheat—if given the opportunity. When they cannot escape the heat or when there is no way to manipulate the ambient air, like in cars – disaster strikes. On a moderately warm day, say 75°F, the inside of a parked car can reach 100°F in just 10 minutes. When the outside temp reaches 90°F, the inside of a car with no A/C can climb to over 120°F in just 20 minutes. Dogs can suffer heat stroke when their internal temperature hits 107°F and in these situations, it can take only a few minutes.

Recognizing there’s a Problem

Heat Stroke is sustained hyperthermia (excessively hot core body temperature) that at internal temperatures between 107-109 cause multiple organ failure and is often fatal if not treated quickly! Some studies have shown mortality to be as high as 1 in 4 pets that suffer from heat stroke will not survive. So, if you find your pet panting excessively, slowing down on walks, pulling you toward shady spots or if you notice their panting is getting louder – these are all important clues you need to be listening to. Dogs will often drool, have dark red gum color, collapse/seizure, vomit, have diarrhea or become unresponsive when there’s a problem.

The first step in treatment is getting them out of the heat! Submerging their bodies (not their heads) in cool or room temperature water is not the best treatment, but if it’s the closest way to cool them down – do it! Then get them to the vet. High body temperatures for long periods of time can result in physiologic shock. We will assess them and start gradual, active cooling methods to bring their temperature down, preserve cardiovascular function and monitor them closely for organ damage. Prognosis depends on how high and how long the high temperatures were sustained.

What about Cats

Cats will naturally keep themselves cooler indoors, however they regulate their internal temperature differently than dogs. Cats will evaporate heat through their paw pads like dogs, but do not pant. Anytime you see a cat pant (not including large cats like lions or tigers) – it’s BAD and should immediately prompt pet owners to bring them to the vet. Cats will sleep more on hot days to keep cool, increase blood flow to skin and ears, like dogs, and groom themselves more. Self-grooming causes saliva to evaporate heat off the coat and cools the skin—similar to how sweat works in humans.

How you can Help

Providing cats with multiple water sources, areas of shade and brushing them regularly are ways to help the kitties stay cool during the warmer days of Summer. Walking dogs earlier in the morning, or late in the day or evening are best and allowing your pets to rest in the shade with plenty of access to clean drinking water are very important. Avoid black, hard pavement like roads as these can often cause painful blisters on paw pads. Young pups and kittens are also at high risk because of their immature sweat glands and underdeveloped organs.

There’s no place like Summer on the Jersey Shore – but keep in mind, fireworks can be really scary to many pets and summer BBQs are the perfect opportunity for getting into those ribs and ending up at your vet with pancreatitis. So, don’t forget your pets! …and if you need us, you know where to find us! – Dr. Tom, City by the Sea Vet (Urgent Care Open July 4th!)