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Getting a Dog or Cat Through a Heat Wave

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Dogs and cats cool themselves far less efficiently than people do. Dogs sweat only a little, through their paw pads, and rely mostly on panting, which works poorly when the air is both hot and humid. Cats pant only when they are already in trouble. That is why a summer afternoon that feels merely uncomfortable to you can push a pet toward heatstroke, and why most of the summer emergencies vets see trace back to ordinary moments in an ordinary day.

Some animals reach that point much sooner than others. Flat-faced breeds such as bulldogs, pugs, boxers and Persian cats have short airways that make panting less effective. Overweight pets, puppies and kittens, older animals, pets with heart or breathing conditions, and thick-coated breeds bred for cold climates, such as huskies and malamutes, all need extra care. If your pet is on that list, treat every piece of advice below as stricter.

Early morning

This is the best time of day for a walk, and in a heat wave it may be the only one. Asphalt and concrete absorb sunlight for hours and can get far hotter than the air, hot enough to burn paw pads on a day that only feels warm. Press the back of your hand to the pavement. If you can't hold it there for seven seconds, it is too hot for paws. Grass and shaded paths stay much cooler.

Before you leave, put out more than one bowl of water in different rooms. A single bowl can be tipped over, emptied by another pet or left sitting in a patch of sun.

Midday

Keep exercise short or skip it. Dogs, especially young and keen ones, will keep chasing a ball long after they should stop, so it is up to you to end the game. Indoor play, a sniffing game with scattered treats or a frozen food toy uses energy without the heat.

If you go out on errands, leave your pet at home. On a 70-degree day the inside of a parked car can climb past 100 degrees within about half an hour, and on hotter days it happens much faster. Cracking the windows makes little difference. Many US states have laws allowing officials, and in some cases bystanders, to rescue animals from hot vehicles.

Afternoon

The house is usually hottest in the late afternoon. Fans cool people by evaporating sweat, so they do much less for a dog or cat. A room with air conditioning or heavy shade helps more, as does a cooling mat, a damp towel to lie on or a shallow paddling pool in the shade outside. Some cats like a ceramic or tiled floor to stretch out on.

It is tempting to shave a fluffy dog for summer. For double-coated breeds such as huskies, German shepherds and golden retrievers, that tends to backfire. The coat insulates against heat as well as cold and shields the skin from sunburn, and a shaved coat can grow back patchy. Brushing out the loose undercoat helps far more. Pets with thin or white fur, and pink noses or ears, can burn, and a vet can suggest a sunscreen that is safe for animals to lick.

Evening

Once the ground has cooled, this is the second good window for a longer walk. Watch where your dog drinks and swims. Blue-green algae blooms, which can make a pond or lake look like pea soup or as if it has a film of paint on top, produce toxins that can kill a dog within hours. Rinse your dog off with clean water after any swim in doubtful water.

Summer evenings also bring barbecues. Corn cobs, skewers and cooked bones can block or tear the gut, and anything sweetened with xylitol is toxic to dogs. In the garden, cocoa-shell mulch contains the same toxic compound as chocolate, and slug pellets, fertilizers and insecticides should be stored out of reach.

Night, and the fireworks

Fireworks frighten many dogs and cats into bolting, and shelters commonly see a rise in lost pets after Fourth of July celebrations. Keep pets indoors with curtains closed and some background noise, check that ID tags are on and readable, and make sure the microchip is registered with your current phone number.

If you think it's heatstroke

Watch for heavy panting, thick drool, a bright red tongue or gums, restlessness, vomiting or diarrhea, stumbling and confusion. Collapse is a late and very serious sign.

  1. Move your pet into shade or air conditioning right away.
  2. Wet them with cool water, not ice-cold water, and put them in front of a fan.
  3. Offer small amounts of water, but don't force it.
  4. Call your vet or an emergency clinic and head there straight away, cooling on the way.

Even pets that seem to recover can have organ damage that shows up later, so every suspected case needs a vet's assessment.