How to help a dog in the heat: useful tips

Owners who seriously take care of their pet, want to prepare a dog in advance for the summer. On hot days, the animal may refuse to eat, feel apathy and general deterioration. In order to somehow ease the life of the four-legged friend, you need to take care of cooling methods. It is necessary to approach the procedure with responsibility and to make a start from the pet breed.

What breeds are at risk?

1. Almost everyone knows that molting in dogs takes place twice a year. The dog loses hair when the temperature rises to 25 degrees or when the mark on the thermometer does not rise above 18 degrees. According to this data, we can conclude that the dog removes the fur coat or dresses up in it. If by nature the pet has no undercoat, then only the guard hair changes.
2. There are breeds of animals that are not subject to molting. This list includes Yorks, Poodles, Ivres, etc. These breeds do not react to climate change and temperature increase in particular.
3. Not only temperature, but also excessive humidity can trigger a molt. This figure is less affected by the well-being of the pet, but you should not discount it. In a humid and hot climate, a pet feels much worse than in a dry one.
4. By the hot season, all pets with thick undercoat are prone to overheating. These include Likes, Huskies, Sheepdogs, Malamutes and other furry friends of man.
5. The zone of risk includes those pets whose coat color is dark. Example - Rottweiler. Owners of decorative (indoor) dogs should be more careful, such pets have poor thermoregulation. Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, etc. are prone to heat shocks.

Features of thermoregulation of dogs

1. We can not say that the body of four-legged pets was left without protection. The dog has sweat glands, but in small quantities. They can not remove heat to a greater extent.Therefore, the pet sticks out his tongue and wants to expel the warm air from his mouth.
2. Not everyone is aware of the unique qualities of dogs affecting their manner of sticking their tongues. With such actions, the animal in the body disrupts salt metabolism, so the cells can not independently produce heat. This protects the animal from overheating.
3. The salted liquid dries faster than ordinary unsalted water, and the area on which it was available begins to cool rapidly. By the same principle, the body of an animal is cooled when the mouth cavity is opened and breathing with the tongue hanging out.

Natural cooling of dogs

1. The first and main way is to provide the dog with free access to water, to give it an average amount of liquid. Do not force the animal to use water without measure, because it will not have the best effect on the kidneys. But you can not allow dehydration. Stick to the golden mean.
2. Heat acts as a catalyst that triggers various diseases in animals. If these diseases "slept", then the temperature rise will quickly bring them to alert. If the animal drinks too much or, conversely, not enough,this may indicate tick infestation. Therefore, it is important to carry out the treatment with special drops / sprays / collar, etc.
3. The fact that the dog refuses to eat in the heat is considered normal. But in everything there must be a measure. If the animal literally went on a hunger strike, this behavior should not be released on the brakes. However, in cases where a pet does not eat, but drinks water, everything is fine. Dogs refuse to eat for a simple reason: the body gets warm when carbohydrates enter the body. And the animal does not need it. Therefore, the pet usually eats in the evening when the heat subsides.
4. Another option, as the dogs are cooled in the heat, is digging holes. They dig a “mink” for themselves, removing the heated upper layer of the earth. Then descend into the cool reservoir and slowly begin to cool. The difficulty lies in the fact that the dog gets tired while digging a hole, so the owner needs to help her.

Ways to cool the dog

Change the mode of walking

1. To alleviate the condition of the animal, walks should be carried out in the early morning or late evening. If the temperature is very high outside, and the pet has not yet learned how to relieve the need in the fresh air, you should lay the diaper indoors or on the balcony.
2. If you live in a private house, then lock the animal in the room is not worth it. If necessary, the dog must move freely to find the most convenient and cool place for it.
3. Alternatively, it is recommended to fill the bath with cold water. The dog can thus cool without any problems when it pleases. You can lay a thick metal sheet, the main thing that did not fall on the sun's rays.
4. Consider, in the hot season it is strictly forbidden to walk the animal in a muzzle. If this is an urgent need, give preference to open models that are made of nylon.
5. Dogs with dark and black color must be dressed in light white clothes made of cotton. Alternatively, your regular white T-shirt. Almost everyone knows that light clothing reflects the sun's rays.
6. Try not to walk on asphalt, remember, you walk in shoes, and your sole is protected, which is not the case with an animal. The pads on the pet's paws are sensitive enough to a hot surface. Try to lead the dog to the place of walking on the grass.
7. After you return home, it is strongly recommended to treat the paw pads with vaseline oil. Thus, the pet does not crack the skin. Otherwise, problems of a certain nature may develop.
8. On hot days it is forbidden to give the dog heavy physical exertion. Try to transfer classes to the evening when the heat subsides.

Change diet and diet

1. Often, changing the diet does not pose any difficulties. Pet itself will give you a clear understanding of what he needs and what he can refuse. If you stopped doing physical training with the dog, it is worthwhile to transfer the animal to light food.
2. It is mandatory to change the water to the dog several times a day for a cold one. Pet allowed to give homemade ice cream, which you prepared yourself. Keep in mind, the presence of sugar in a treat is absolutely contraindicated.

Cut the dog or not?

1. Often it is enough to ensure proper care of the coat, to significantly facilitate the life of the animal. Also, do not rush to cut your pet almost bald. Wool not only warms the dog, but also protects it.
2. In hot weather, be sure to comb out the entire undercoat.If the dog is furry, the furminator will do the job perfectly. Trimming “under zero” is allowed only for those pets that are not prone to shedding.

We looked at how the animal can cool. However, natural methods can not always help and the pet continues to suffer from unbearable heat. Your task is to make life as easy as possible for the dog and avoid heat stroke.

Video: how to help the dog in the heat