A VET has issued an urgent warning to dog owners and it applies to “every single breed”.
So with the weather heating up and summer fast approaching, you’ve come to the right place and will need to listen up if you want to ensure your furry friend is kept safe.
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Eve, a veterinary nurse from the UK and a dog mum-of-three, took to social media to share her advice on keeping pets safe during warm weather.
Discussing heat stroke, Eve shared her important “warning for dog owners”.
Straight after finishing a night shift, Eve explained that “heat stroke cases” can start when temperatures reach 19 degrees.
She said: “The temperatures are rising and taking your dog on a walk is not worth risking their life.
“Do it responsibly – 6am in the morning, 8pm at night when it’s nice and cool.”
Eve claimed that this “applies to every single dog breed, but especially Brachycephalic breeds”, as she recognised: “Your Brachycephalic breeds, so your French bulldogs, any kind of bulldog, your pugs, any dog with a short snout – if you can hear your dog breathing on a day to day basis and you think that’s just normal – your dog struggles to breathe.
“Your dog already has stress on their respiratory system, you then take them out on a walk and exercise them, you’re increasing the stress.”
Eve claimed that when stress and respiration keeps increasing, your pooch could end up having a “bowel crisis.”
Not only this, but she also recognised that particularly with Brachycephalic breeds, their “airways get inflamed” and can then “close up.”
She also highlighted that such breeds are also “prone to regurgitating their food” – a key sign of heat stroke – as she warned: “Also a symptom of heat stroke is vomiting – so you’ve got a dog that’s unable to calm their panting down and then you add in vomit or regurge into it, so they inhale it, which ends up with fluid on the lungs.”
As a result, she claimed that dog owners are “better off preventing it” and highlighted the importance of allowing your dog to miss a walk or have a walk at a different time of the day when temperatures rise.
Additionally, Eve urged dog owners to “be mindful” and “please take care out there” to ensure pets are kept “safe”.
The temperatures are rising and taking your dog on a walk is not worth risking their life
Eve, veterinary nurse
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @eve_the_veterinary_nurse, has clearly left many open-mounted, as it has quickly amassed 175,800 views, 7,487 likes and 350 comments.
Dog owners were grateful for Eve’s advice and many eagerly flocked to the comments to express this.
Dog breeds most susceptible to overheating
In general, there are six groups of dogs who struggle most in hot weather…
Firstly, those with underlying health problems. Dogs can’t sweat like we can, so rely largely on panting to cool down. However, if they have airway or lung impairments, or suffer from fluid balance or hydration issues, then this is more difficult, and their ability to lose heat is reduced, meaning they are at a higher risk of heat-stroke.
Overweight animals find it harder to ventilate, and their core temperature rises faster than you’d expect for a lean dog.
Very young dogs or very old dogs are also at increased risk of heatstroke, and these owners should be even more cautious in hot weather.
Dogs with very thick coats, who are adapted to a colder climate. Dogs such as the Husky or Malamute – and even the Chow Chow – have been bred to keep heat in. However, this comes at the price of being less well able to cope in hot weather. Their thick double coats effectively trap heat, making it the equivalent of us going out in the July heat wearing a fur coat and thermal underwear: they get very hot, very quickly. This problem can be alleviated by clipping (NOT shaving), however, the coat can take a long time to grow back. In a heatwave, though, if you’re struggling to keep your dog cool, I’d personally rather have a dog with a thinner coat who’s alive than a luxuriously coated dog in the morgue.
Short-nosed, or brachycephalic, breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs. These dogs have been bred to look “cute”, with big eyes and flat faces. Unfortunately, the result of this has been a narrowing of the airways and a profusion of soft tissue in the nasal chambers and pharynx – we call this Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome, and it profoundly affects their ability to pant and lose heat. Like a dog with any other respiratory disease, most members of these breeds are highly prone to heatstroke, and as they are often overweight as well, are at very high risk in hot weather.
One person said: “Thank you for explaining this.”
Another added: “Great advice.”
A third commented: “Well said.”
But just how hot is too hot to walk a dog?
Like us, pets love to be outside in the sunshine but with their fur they can easily overheat.
But in hot temperatures, dogs can become dehydrated, burn their paws, or get heat stroke so here’s how hot is too hot to walk your dog.
According to Kathleen Pohl, a vet from Pet Health Club, there’s an ‘extremely dangerous’ temperature that could cause ‘life-threatening heat stroke‘ for pets.
How to keep pets cool during hot weather
EVERYONE’S doing their best to beat the heat and stay cool as temperatures soar.
So here’s The Sun’s best advice on what you can do to keep your pet cool during hot weather.
CATS: Drop some ice cubes in your cat’s drinking bowl.
Wait until the end of the day before you play with kitty, when its cooler.
Pet your cat with a wet cloth, most cats don’t mind some moisture on their fur.
DOGS: Give them a wet towel to lay on.
Avoid walking on hot pavements and consider getting booties for them to insulate their toes.
Avoid exercise at the hottest parts of the day.
This vet claimed that the “ideal temperature to walk your dog in” is between five and 15 degrees.
She stressed that there is “no evidence of heat stroke risk at this range”, and as a result, dogs can enjoy outdoor activities and walks.
Generally speaking, most breeds will be ok up to around 19 degrees celsius to be walked throughout the day and stay happy.
Although owners of obese pups or those with health issues or flatter noses should keep a close eye on their dog.
Up to around 23 degrees it is ok to lightly exercise your dog but any strenuous exercise could put them at risk of heat stroke.
However, when temperatures rise from 24 up to 27 degrees, according to this vet: “Most dogs will find the heat very uncomfortable – while it’s not immediately life threatening, prolonged exposure can lead to overheating and exhaustion.”
Remember, a dog has never died from skipping a walk, but they die every year from heat stroke
Kathleen Pohl
As a result, the Veterinary Surgeon advised that during these temperatures, dogs should be walked early in the morning or late at night, when it’s cooler.
Not only this, but the vet claimed that any temperature above 32 degrees is extremely dangerous for dogs.
The vet highlighted: “At this level there’s a high risk of life threatening heat stroke.
“Dogs can suffer from dehydration, rapid heart rate, even organ failure.”
Issuing an important warning to dog lovers, the expert concluded: “Remember, a dog has never died from skipping a walk, but they die every year from heat stroke. Don’t walk your dog in the heat.”
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