When is it too hot for my dog?

Wonderful when the sun starts shining again! Life starts happening more outside, and all sorts of positive chemicals are produced in our brains. But not all dogs are as happy as we are about the warm weather. To keep summer fun for your dog, too, and prevent overheating, there are a few things you need to pay close attention to.

Dogs and heat

Dogs are sensitive to heat. They have fur that insulates and cannot sweat as we do. They regulate cooling through the tongue by panting and, to a lesser extent, through the soles of their feet. Thus, they do not lose their heat easily. In hot weather, your dog’s body temperature may rise too high, causing them to go into heat shock. In this, the body temperature is so high that the proteins in the blood and in the cell structures change. As a result, the blood in your dog’s veins becomes viscous. The blood then cannot be pumped around properly, which can lead to damage to the dog’s organs, heart and brain, or even death.

It is difficult to say at what temperature it is too hot outside for the dog, this varies from dog to dog. The advice is to be alert above 15 degrees celcius. Look at the circumstances; if it is cloudy and there is a breeze, then 15 degrees Celsius is no problem, but if you are sitting in full sun and out of the wind, then 15 degrees can already be too warm for many dogs.

How do you know if a dog is too hot?

Dogs can get too hot quickly. The following symptoms can be signs of this:

• The dog is panting heavily and possibly drooling
• The dog moves slowly and/or is lethargic
• The dog has little or no appetite
• The dog starts vomiting
• The dog feels hot

How do you know if a dog is overheated?

The normal body temperature of dogs is between 38 and 39 degrees celcius. Puppies have a slightly higher temperature, up to max 39.5 degrees. When dogs are too hot their body temperature rises. We speak of overheating when the body temperature is 41 degrees or higher. Symptoms of overheating (heat shock), in addition to excessive body temperature and the symptoms you see when your dog is too hot, are the following:

• The dog has an excessively rapid heartbeat and breathing
• The mucous membranes are red
• The dog is short of breath
• The dog is hardly or not reacting to stimuli

What to do when a dog has heat shock?

If your dog has heat shock, it is essential that you help your dog cool down as soon as possible. You can do this as follows:

• Take the dog to a cool, shady place
• Cool the dog by wetting him or her with running water. Caution! Do not use ice-cold water for this; too great a difference in temperature can cause cardiac arrest in a dog in shock. In particular, wet the head, belly, groin, paws and ears. Once the dog has gotten used to the temperature difference, you can completely wet the dog.
• If there is a fan nearby, use it. An air conditioner in a car can also be used. Focus it especially on the head, so the dog can breathe in the cool air and evaporate heat through the tongue.
• Keep a close eye on the temperature, as the dog should not cool down too much. Especially with small dogs this is a lurking issue. If the dog’s temperature drops, stop cooling it and dry it well.
• Let the dog drink small bits of lukewarm water. Note: do this only if the dog is conscious

If your dog is, or has been, in heat shock, always consult your veterinarian!

Which dogs are more at risk of overheating?

There are certain high-risk groups that are especially sensitive to heat. These high-risk groups are:

• Older dogs and puppies
• Overweight dogs
• Dogs with short snouts, such as the French Bulldog and the Pug
• Dogs with dark and/or thicker coats
• Dogs with heart disease and/or lung disease

Tips for keeping your dog cool