Heat can kill animals too

OVILLA – With outside temperatures getting close to triple digits, it’s important to remember our four-legged friends and the proper way to ensure their safety in the summer heat.

A rule of thumb - if you’re hot, so are they. Both dogs and cats don’t have sweat glands like people do. Panting is their only way of staying cool.

Their internal temperature is also higher than ours, so it’s easier for them to overheat.

“What we recommend if your pet is outside is to avoid the midday heat, and give them access to kiddy pools where the water is changed daily,” Amy Boldt, Practice Manager and LVT at Animal Hospital of Ovilla said.

“Also, make sure they have fresh water to drink that is changed daily as well. Now, they have special bowls and mats that stay cool. Digging is another way for them to stay cool too.”

Taking your pet on walks during extreme temperatures can also be dangerous because of the hot  concrete. If you need to walk them, do it in the morning or after sunset to avoid burning their paws.

If you must leave your pets outside make sure they have a place where there is plenty of shade and not just a dog house, which often does not have good wind circulation.

As well, never leave your animal in a parked car.

The heat can go up drastically inside the car within a matter of minutes.

Dogs can get a heatstroke if their body temperature gets above 104 degrees.

Signs of a heat stroke in dogs include excessive panting, salivating, drooping tail and ears, vomiting, diarrhea, disorientation, and seizures.

If you think your pet has had a heatstroke, move them to the shade and apply ice packs wrapped in towels to their head or run cool, not cold, water over them.

Get them to a vet after you have gotten their temperature back down.

Overall, your best bet is to leave your pet in the house if you have to go away for an extended period of time since Texas summer heat truly can kill.