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By Jeff D'Andrea

Hot dogs

Taking care of your dogs during the summer heatwave

Jul 29, 2020 | 5:00 PM

With heat warnings being issued throughout much of Saskatchewan this week, a local veterinarian is reminding pet owners to make sure your furry friend can stay cool.

Peter Surkan, an owner at Park Range Veterinary Services, said hot weather can be especially concerning for dogs as they can overheat and experience hyperthermia.

“You better remember, they’re wearing a fur coat on a hot, hot day. And that doesn’t really help much,” Surkan said.

Surkan said leaving dogs in vehicles by themselves is a big no-no. Even while the air conditioning is running or the windows are open, dogs can still have issues in cooling themselves down.

“If you need to go shopping and your dog goes everywhere with you, don’t bring them in the summertime in a vehicle — even with the vehicle running or the windows partly down,” Surkan said. “It can be very difficult for these dogs to lose heat in that fashion.”

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Surkan said some good tips would be to go for walks in the morning or in the evening when the sun isn’t beating down during its midday peak. He also added ice baths and cool fans can help a dog that has been overheated. Access to cool water is also important.

Older dogs are especially at risk as they can suffer from laryngeal paralysis, or the reduced use of their larynx. Since dogs cool themselves mostly by releasing heat through panting and heavy breathing, older dogs can have difficulties dealing with heat.

“Because they don’t have any sweat glands, they lose a lot of heat through respiration… When they get older, if they don’t have the ability to dilate their larynx properly, some of these older dogs suffer from laryngeal paralysis and they overheat quite quickly.”

Another item that may be overlooked is the grooming of your pet, to make sure their coats aren’t getting too heavy and thick.

“Keeping your dog well-groomed, and if tends to be a heavily haired dog, keeping their hair short is another good tip,” Surkan said. “Like people, dogs with their post-COVID haircuts haven’t gotten in on a timely fashion to get groomed, so be aware of that.”

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW