Vet Answered Dog Summer Care Tips - How To Care For Your Dog In Summer

As the seasons come and go, there’s one question that all pet parents have when the temperature rises - “How Do I Take Care Of My Dog In Summer?”

It is prudent to know that each season demands a set of specific care for your pet.

With summer approaching and temperatures rising nationwide, we are aware that you want to do everything in your power to keep your dog/cat safe and healthy. And since you had lots of questions about pet care in summer, we invited our in-house Veterinarian Dr Sushmitha to answer a few of them.

Dog Summer Care Tips - Vet Answered

1. Why Can’t Dogs Tolerate Hot Weather or Summer?

Dogs are warm-blooded animals (endotherms) and they must maintain a constant body temperature. So, as the climate changes & summer approaches, your dog’s body will also struggle with the changing temperature.

To an extent, your pet can cope with the rise in temperature, however, this puts them under stress. Anything that is beyond their scope of compensation, can cause adverse effects.

The reason behind your dog’s difficulty in tolerating summer is due to many factors, such as:

• Breed - Your dog’s breed can influence their ability to deal with heat. Certain dogs are tall and lean and thus are in a better position to dissipate heat compared to others.
• Origin - To illustrate, consider Siberian Huskies, they originate from the Northern Hemisphere and thus are adapted to that climate with features like thick fur, peculiar gait and such.
• Thermoregulation - Unlike humans, your dog has limited sweat glands and sweats mostly through his paws. Hence, their ability to thermoregulate is limited and thus has a low threshold.

Since dogs and cats find it hard to cope during summer, it is important for pet parents to look out for signs of summer heat stress such as panting, behavioural changes and dehydration to take necessary precautions.

2. What Are The Signs Of Summer Stress & Dehydration In Dogs?

A few symptoms of dehydration or summer stress in dogs are : 

Changes in Behaviour - During summer, you need to be observant of your pet’s behaviour. It is vital to be vigilant and to notice any deviation from their normal behaviour and observe symptoms of dehydration or other health issues.

A few common signs indicating that your dog is unable to or having difficulty tolerating the heat are :

• They keep entering indoors to seek comfort from fans or A/C.
• Your pet prefers to sleep in the bathroom as the floor is usually wet & cool
• They may lie more often with their back to the floor and stomach facing upwards.

The second sign of summer stress in dogs is :

Increase in Dog Panting - A dog who is summer stressed begins panting more often. Since dogs and cats do not have sweat glands throughout their body, apart from sweating through their paws, they also extend their tongue and display panting behaviour.

A common behaviour displayed by dogs, if panting becomes more frequent, it is a sign that your dog is uncomfortable with the heat and is trying to cool his internal body temperature. During this time, the dog may also be dehydrated.

Kindly note that a dog may pant for other reasons, such as after a long run. Panting is a cooling mechanism for dogs.

However, heavy panting is something to be wary of and needs expert care.

Dehydration Of Dog Skin - A simple and easy way to check your dog’s hydration level in summer is through a Skin Tenting test.

• Pinch your pet's skin near the neck (top part of the neck; dorsum) and pull it gently and immediately let go.
• If you notice that skin returns flat, back to its usual position within a second, then your pet is well hydrated.
• If at all your dog’s skin returns to its usual state slowly (i.e more than 1-2 seconds) then it is a strong indication that your pet is dehydrated.

A key part of dog summer care is to avoid dehydration in dogs. It can even cause life-threatening health issues and thus must be addressed immediately. 

Increase in Dog’s Body Temperature - Now, this is not exactly a fever but at times, a dog’s body temperature can rise due to an increase in external environment temperature. Such an increase is termed Hyperthermia and must be differentiated from a fever. 

If you don’t know how to use a thermometer on a dog, you can assess the rise in their body temperature by touching them. Touch them often (near the ears and the stomach region) and observe how warm he is at different parts of his body.

Keep note of this. If you feel he is warmer than usual, contact your vet.  As first aid care for dogs in summer, you can also wipe him with a cold towel to cool your dog down.

Stress & Other Health Issues - Climatic changes concerning increased temperatures and their resulting pet dehydration and behavioural issues can manifest into stress in dogs.

When your dog is stressed, their immunity may decline and normal residing bacteria may flare-up. This can affect their skin and can result in dermatitis.

Moreover, dehydration in dogs may lead to a rise in blood urea level and lead to further complications concerning, mostly but not limited to, liver and kidney.

As scary as these signs of summer stress and dehydration in dogs may seem, it is not unavoidable. There are many precautions and dog summer care tips you can follow to keep your pet healthy and safe.

3.  What Should I Feed My Dog In Summer?

The food you give your dog during summer should keep them hydrated and energetic.

Here are some do’s and don’t of Summer diet for dogs : 

Summer Diet - Food For Dogs In Summer  

• Do provide plenty of clean & fresh drinking water to your pet at all times.
  
  You can even give slightly cold water to cool your dog down if the weather outside is too hot or if your dog displays signs of summer stress.
• Do give them dog food that is wet or has broth or soup base. You can also increase the liquid in your pet’s diet by using bone/vegetable broth as the base of their food. 
  
  Houndfresh can be considered a healthy summer food for dogs as the ingredients are all hand-picked, natural and indigenous. The ingredients are highly nutritious and also contain antioxidants which can aid in relieving summer stress.
• Don’t increase the quantity of their meals, instead increase the amount of time you feed them throughout the day. 
• Don’t give dogs more protein during summer to control the rise in body temperature that can be caused by food

• Do provide plenty of clean & fresh drinking water to your pet at all times. You can even give slightly cold water to cool your dog down if the weather outside is too hot or if your dog displays signs of summer stress.
• Do give them dog food that is wet or has broth or soup base. You can also increase the liquid in your pet’s diet by using bone/vegetable broth as the base of their food. Houndfresh can be considered a healthy summer food for dogs as the ingredients are all hand-picked, natural and indigenous. The ingredients are highly nutritious and also contain antioxidants which can aid in relieving summer stress.
• Don’t increase the quantity of their meals, instead increase the amount of time you feed them throughout the day. 
• Don’t give dogs more protein during summer to control the rise in body temperature that can be caused by food

During summer, you can also give your dog fruits that are rich in water content like watermelon (remove the seeds) or cucumber.

Dog-friendly ice creams for summer are also a good option to hydrate and keep your dog cool (i.e. if they do not have lactose intolerance).

4. How To Groom Dogs In Summer?

It is essential to care for your dog’s coat and fur, especially during summer as the heat can have adverse effects.

A few dog summer care tips you can follow are :

Summer Grooming - Dog Fur & Coat Care in Summer

• Do give your dog cold towel baths (without shampoo) during summer. Cold towel baths for dogs are a great way to cool a dog down during extreme heat.
• Do use your vet recommended anti-tick and flea care products. The chances of parasitic infestation increase during summer.
  
  You will need to regularly check your dog for ticks/fleas and follow your vet's advised treatment.
• Don’t skip out on the fur trimming. Trim your dog’s fur, especially if you have a long-hair breed dog. This will prevent the trapping of heat and moisture. Note that unless advised by your vet, zero trim is not preferred.
• Don’t bathe your dog often (not more than once in 2 weeks) with shampoo during summer as this can cause a loss of essential oils & may deteriorate the health of their coat.

• Do give your dog cold towel baths (without shampoo) during summer. Cold towel baths for dogs are a great way to cool a dog down during extreme heat.
• Do use your vet recommended anti-tick and flea care products. The chances of parasitic infestation increase during summer. You will need to regularly check your dog for ticks/fleas and follow your vet's advised treatment.
• Don’t skip out on the fur trimming. Trim your dog’s fur, especially if you have a long-hair breed dog. This will prevent the trapping of heat and moisture. Note that unless advised by your vet, zero trim is not preferred.
• Don’t bathe your dog often (not more than once in 2 weeks) with shampoo during summer as this can cause a loss of essential oils & may deteriorate the health of their coat.

5. Can Dogs Play In Hot Weather?

No matter the weather, staying fit and physically healthy is important for our pets.

However, when the temperature is hot outside, you will need to take some precautionary measures to avoid heat-stress, exhaustion or dehydration in dogs.

Summer Playtime - Playing With Dogs In Hot Weather

• Do limit their exercise or outdoor play. As more physical exercise can cause excess heat and dehydration in dogs.
• Do give them frequent breaks and intervals during play. Also, ensure to carry an ice pack or drinking water when taking your pet out.
• Don’t take your pet out during hotter parts of the day. Avoid walks/ outdoor activities during the peak hours of the day.
• Don’t let them walk on hot pavements. If it is hot for you, it is hot for your dog too. Stay away from pavements to keep their paws safe.

You can also opt for more indoor games during summer to avoid the heat.

If you do go out, take your dog out to the beach, pool or river in the early hours or evening.

To sum it up, your pet’s summer care involves lowering their stress, cooling them down and following heat management steps to avoid dehydration and exhaustion.

They might seem simple, but they are of dire importance. If dog summer care is neglected, your pet can undergo heat exhaustion which can lead to heatstroke that can have an impact on their brain, making them gravely ill.

We know how much you love your pet and we are certain of how much they love you too. Let’s also share the same love by leaving a bowl of water for our four-legged friends out on the streets.

Share these tips with fellow pet parents and let’s beat the heat together!

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