Hot Weather & Dogs!
This July in London, we’re experiencing a rare event - Red weather warnings have been issued for Monday 18th through Wednesday 20th for extreme temperatures, possibly reaching 40 degrees. Hot weather for the last couple of weeks has already impacted my work as a Walker, and of course I’m making further changes for this particular week in order to make sure that all of my dogs will be comfortable and safe.
My walking schedule for the week - all times have been moved forward, and some walks have even been cancelled due to the extreme temperatures. I put this together about 5 days in advance, and by the time of writing, the forecasted highs have increased, as well as the warning level.
I make a pretty big deal out of this type of weather actually - but why? For many, this hot spell doesn’t seem to be much of a bother. I’ve seen people in the last few weeks out and about with their dogs whilst temperatures were peaking around 30 degrees, seemingly none the wiser to the risks they were exposing their pets to. For humans in hot weather, it’s not so difficult - we can make informed choices about when and were to go out, we can wear appropriate clothing and make sure to stay hydrated, but for our dogs it isn’t so straightforward. Sure, you can get your dog’s coat trimmed or clipped short in the summer and carry some water with you on a walk, but the reality is that dogs don’t have the same abilities to deal with heat that we do. By walking dogs in temperatures anywhere over 24/25 degrees, we’re exposing them to conditions that could prove fatal. Heat stroke can come on extremely fast, and seemingly with little warning if you aren’t watching out for the signs.
The best way to prevent heat stroke is by minimising the risks - walking very early or late (before 8am and after 8pm), providing access to shade, minimising access to the sun during the day (e.g. conservatories or the hot patio!), keeping water bowls topped up, and even making use of cool mats and fans on particularly hot days indoors. It’s also important to remember that the interior temperature of your car will be hotter than it is outside the car, and leaving your dog even for minutes could potentially lead to loss of life. On top of this, it’s also important to remember that pavements heat up a great deal over the course of a sunny day, and can and will burn your dog’s paws if they have to walk on this hot surface before it has had any chance to cool.
Ultimately, it all comes down to one question: can my dog go a day without a walk? This is a bit of a trick question, because the answer is ALWAYS yes. No matter the dog’s age, breed, or temperament, they will not die from missing a walk. They may, however, die as a result of being walked in excessive temperatures.
All that being said, it’s always worth learning and keeping in mind the signs and symptoms of Heat Stroke, which have been helpfully outlined in the infographic at the top of this page, created by VetsNow. If you’re at all worried about your dog, or are noticing any of these symptoms, you should contact your vet right away - getting help and treatment right away will be the best chance of your dog making a recovery.
One of my top personal tips for dealing with this weather is that you can now get self-cooling mats for dogs rather than ones that need to be refrigerated, and these are an amazing tool to have as they give your pets the choice and ability to regulate their own temperature - with some items such as vests and bandanas, they don’t have any agency in whether they wear them and how long for. With a cooling mat, they’ve got the option, which I’m a huge fan of. These are also really great to have year-round if you have a house which is predominately carpeted, as even after a good run-around in the spring or autumn your dog might like to flop down on it for a bit of cooling rather than the warm carpet!
If you’ve read this the whole way then thank you and well done, it’s an intense topic but an extremely important one! I’m really passionate about safety and wellbeing, and hope that all of the manic posting I’ve been doing about this weather will help to keep people informed, as well as comfortable in the knowledge that I’ll be keeping their pets safe whilst they’re with me.
