Best Boxers Kennel

 

Home

Our Boys

Tyson

Stonewall

Zeus

Our Girls

Hannah

Pixie

Lucy

Harley

Oakley

New Puppies

Lucy's Pups

Scheduled Litters

Health Guarantee/Contract

Sales Policy

Pricing

Payment Policy

Shipping/Pick-up Options

NuVet Plus

New Puppy Owner

Dogs & Hot Weather

Common Puppy Issues

Worms in Puppies

Coccidia

Kennel Cough

Ear Mites

Upset Stomach Help

Parvo

Rabies

Chocolate Poisioning

Staph Infections

Mucus in Stool

Valley Fever

Questions Answered

Demodex

Beware/Search/Rare

Breeding Info

Kids N Boxers

Boxer Coat Colors

Treats For Dogs

Boxer Photo Album

Job Well Done

Past Puppies

Contact Us

Our Location

About Us

Links

Dogs & Hot Weather


 

Take time to read this very important information!


 

Advice from a Veterinarian Dogs and Hot Weather


Heat can be dangerous for pets, especially outdoor dogs. A veterinarian explains how to keep a dog cool and avoid heat stress and heat stroke in the summer.

Summer can be hard on dogs that are outdoors all day. But even an indoor dog can raise its body temperature if it goes outside for a few minutes. Dr. Bryan Welty, veterinarian at Capitol Animal Clinic in Lincoln, Nebraska, shares some tips for keeping a dog cool in the summer.


How to Treat Heat Stroke or Heat Stress in Dogs


Dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors are most susceptible to heat illnesses, but even indoor dogs can get heat stroke, said Dr. Welty. Dogs do not sweat, he explained. The only way they have of expelling heat is through their pads and through their tongue, and it is an extraordinarily inefficient system. A dog that goes outside and runs around the yard for just a few minutes can dramatically increase its body temperature.


The symptoms of heat stress in a dog include disorientation, excessive panting and not wanting to eat or drink. Although they need water, they refuse to drink.


If you sense that your dog is experiencing heat stress, you need to step in and help them cool down. Putting them next to a fan or air conditioner can help. Another effective method is to put the dog in a bathtub with lukewarm water and then slowly add cool water. Because the heat is expelled through the foot pads, you only need a few inches of water in the tub.

Its extremely important that you start with lukewarm water and then cool the water gradually. Dr. Welty explained that when a pets body temperature increases, the blood flow to the body increases as well. If you pour cold water on a pets body, the capillaries are going to instantly constrict, which can cause a potentially life-threatening blood clot. Its imperative that you do not dump cool water on your pet, he said.


 

AKC Boxers