Tips for Keeping Pets Cool During 'Deadly Heat'

Officials with the Maryland Department of Agriculture reminded pet owners this week to protect their furry friends during stretches of “deadly heat" experienced by many this past week. 

As temperatures climbed into the triple digits throughout Edgewater, Davidsonville and south county, state veterinarian Dr. Guy Hohenhaus warned residents in a news release to be extra sensitive to their pets’ environments.

“Pets can’t tell you when they’re hot and thirsty. You should assume that if you’re hot and uncomfortable outside, your pet will be even more so,” Hohenhaus said.

Patch caught up with veterinarian Anita Moore, of Animal Clinic of Wayson’s Corner in Lothian, to learn more about the warning signs and what can be done to prevent heat exhaustion in pets.

Moore said that while cats are usually very aware of their surroundings, such as the temperature, dogs don’t react much when it’s extremely hot outside.

“Dogs just don’t know when to stop. Don’t expect your dog to have enough common sense to get out of the sun. I’ve seen too many of them come [into my office] from overheating,” Moore said. “They’re not smart enough to recognize when they’re sick from the heat.”

Dogs with long or dark coats are especially susceptible to overheating. But dogs with short faces are at the highest risk, Moore said.

“The only way dogs sweat is through their feet or they pant,” Moore said. “With a short-faced dog, they are more at risk of overheating because their respiratory apparatus is shortened.”

Dogs with longer faces and tongues have more area to ventilate, but short-faced pooches like pugs need extra care during extreme temperatures, said the Lothian veterinarian.

Moore said in her years of experience, she’s seen dogs come in with 107-degree fevers, a temperature high enough to cause brain damage, she said.

Moore offered some tips to care for your four-legged friends this summer as the heat continues to reign down on the region.

• Put ice water in your animal's dish, it will cool down their body temperature
• Keep your pets indoors, only letting them outside to relieve themselves
• If they are outside for any reason, keep them in the shade
• Do not exercise your pet outside during extreme heat
• Be cautious with older pets specifically
• Never leave a pet inside a car, “You’ll barbecue them in five minutes,” Moore said.
• Buy a plastic kid’s pool to let your pet play during the heat, it’s a great way for them to cool off, Moore said.