Mastodawn

A few points about keeping your dog cool in the heat. You already know about shade and fans, and that their bare feet burn on hot pavement just like you.

Do try to cool their pads and their fur, but avoid the top of their head. The pads are the most effective area to target with a cool damp towel. The evaporation will help.

If they like water, and you have a tub big enough, a cooling tub of water is great for short periods of time, with breaks. They might also enjoy jumping through a sprinkler (in the shade) or the light spray of a garden hose. Heck, you might join in!

Be careful about ice. Maybe one or two ice cubes in their water, but not more. Drinking very cold water, like ice water, can cause terrible stomach cramps for a dog. And they will need more drinking water than usual.

Tell your dog I said Hi!

Petra van Cronenburg 2d ago

@kimlockhartga Good tips, thanks. I also know people with dogs liking these self-cooling sleeping mats.

@NatureMC yeah. Those are great, too.

@kimlockhartga Please come and tell my dog to drink the mahusive bowl of water he has. Also, it's really dumb to sit out in the sun in hopes of ambushing a squirrel or a cat.

I should point out that this dumbass likes to sit in the garden on November 5th and watch the fireworks while the TV is telling you to keep your pets inside and that loud bangs traumatise them.

I keep telling the wife he's broken. 🤦🏻‍♂️

@dick_turpin That is one unusual dog!

I have one dog who hates getting his paws wet, and the other takes a swan dive into mud puddles. We have a small swimming pool for her, and the sides of it fold up when we arent using it, which is handy.

@kimlockhartga Ours won't play ball. Doesn't do fetch really, but must be part Aztec as he loves ripping the heart (squeak) out of soft toys.

We should have known what he was like when we were sent pictures of him at two weeks old, coming down the stairs with his mum!

SomeVeganCheeseIsOk 2d ago

@kimlockhartga what are your thoughts on lightweight white cotton t-shirts for dogs that can be soaked with cool water? Especially for dark coated dogs.

@SomeVeganCheeseIsOk That sounds like a very innovative way to help the dog.

@SomeVeganCheeseIsOk We got to the point that we got a summer (nearly shaved) haircut (furcut?) for our pom down here in Heatville, USA. He felt sad without his prideful mane, but he discovered that he wasn't so hot all the time anymore. You do have to watch for sunburn if you do that, though.

SomeVeganCheeseIsOk 2d ago

@kimlockhartga my dogs are already fairly short haired, so that's less of an option. I also think that one of them would possibly turn into a finger blender if I approached her with intent to shave. She loves me, but she's a neurotic rescue.

@SomeVeganCheeseIsOk I hear you on that.

My little husky mix seems unfazed by any kind of weather.

Sharonbw stands with Minnesota 2d ago

Good advice! Sprinkler bonus: birds in our area love jumping around in it too.

@Sharonbw awwww. And yes we put out water for wildlife. If I remember, I put out a smaller one with a rock in it that rises above the water. That one is for insects to get a drink without drowning.

@kimlockhartga Is it just too startling to cool the top of the head, or an ice cream headache sort of thing? Just curious, I doubt I would dump cold water over Archie the collie's head, but he does get a bit too warm sometimes.

@sunumbral I should look it up. But, vets say it can harm a dog. They aren't like us in the way they cool off.

@kimlockhartga esp. with thicker fur the damp of water in fur acts as a steambath. As it gets warm after initial cooling. Enhancing the problem.
They can only sweat through paws and releas warmth by panting.

Everyday.Human Derek 2d ago

@kimlockhartga Thank you ! Do you have cat tips too!

@EVDHmn I don't know much about helping cats keep cool. My only suggestion is to put some cold water in a tightly sealed bag with room for expansion, top it with a towel, and see if the cat will lie down on it, like a waterbed.

HappyCrow13 2d ago

@EVDHmn @kimlockhartga I have a bunch of cheap reusable icepacks from the dollar store. I put one in their water bowl, and leave other ones on the couch or counter covered with towels for them to lay on.
Lots of fans and wiping down with wet\damp rags. Don't soak them, just get their fur a bit wet. I have a couple floofy boys I do that too, they like it.

@HappyCrow13 @EVDHmn there ya go.

@EVDHmn One of the things I remember from the heat wave we endured was to keep an eye out for panting.

Dogs pant normally, but housecats don't. A panting cat is a sign that it may need cooling intervention.

Our cat showed her first signs of "too much" by splooting on the cooler linoleum floor. Then we started rubbing her down with a cold wet towel, which she didn't much appreciate.

In these times, keeping longer fur shaved down in summer may be a preventative measure.

@shezza_t 2d ago

@EVDHmn I second the suggestion to dampen their fur now and then. Another thing that works for #SamCat is cooling the kitchen lino with an ice pack or water. He chooses the cooler spots to sploot on.

And when he was a tiny, hyper kitten in a heatwave, we did this: https://mastodon.ie/@shezza_t/114042386319232663

@shezza_t (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image 21/07/2021: Cool cat on a hot day. That's a damp sheet of kitchen roll that I put in the freezer til it was crisp. He was happy under it til it started to melt. Now he's beside it with his nose on it. #SamCat

mastodon.ie

Lori M Olson 2d ago

@kimlockhartga another caution about ice… some of them are idiots who will chew ice, and that can break teeth.

@lorimolson oh goodness, a whole other problem I hadn't thought of!

@kimlockhartga Your post made me think... people may put shoes on dogs to protect their paws from hot pavement.

But they need to be able to shed heat through their paw pads.

Just something else to be aware of. Maybe breaks on cooler ground where the shoes can be removed for a bit, especially if the dog seems distressed.

@solitha I feel for folks who have to walk their dogs outdoors, because they live in a high rise.