Helping Your Dog Beat the Heat

Ask PHP Pete!

Dear PHP Pete,

My dog, Monty deMutt, and I were out for some fun at the dog park over the weekend and I noticed a lot of the animals were just lying around and not really playing. Monty deMutt would try to engage them, but they didn’t seem to want to move. I mean it was 98 degrees out, but Monty deMutt was fine. Could the heat and humidity have really had that big an effect on them?

Sincerely,

My Hair Hates Humidity

Dear Hair,

Your hair is not the only one that hates humidity–so does your dog! Heat and humidity are not your companions friend any more than they are yours. It sounds to me like the friends your Monty deMutt was trying to play with may have been heading toward heatstroke.

Heatstroke, or hyperthermia, occurs when the body cannot combat the excessive heat it’s encountering. Some of the most common symptoms are lethargy, panting, dehydration, excessive drooling, and little to no urine output.

If you and Monty deMutt want to play outside during the hot times of the day, the best way to prepare is to make sure you have plenty of water on hand for you both–and maybe a spray bottle to mist his fur with. You could also just let him have some fun chasing fish at the local lake.

If you see an animal in distress, help their human by giving them water (not too cold at this point or it will cause the blood vessels to constrict and the animal to get hotter) and finding shade for them. If their human isn’t around or they don’t appear to have one, give them water–again, not too cold–and wrap them in a cool towel. Call your local police or animal control to come and assist.

Have a fun and cool summer!

PHP Pete