out) or towels saturated with cold water.
Immerse as much of your pet as you can,
especially the back of the head and neck. Of
course, do not submerge your dog’s head in
the water.
Unless you don’t have access to cool water,
do not add a lot of ice to the water in the
tub. That can be too much of a shock, from
too hot to too cold. You can put ice cubes or
an ice pack in a paper towel on their back,
though.
Let your dog drink as much cool water as
he wants without forcing him to drink. Check
for signs of shock. If you can, take the dog’s
temperature every fi ve minutes, continuing
water-cooling until your dog’s temperature
drops below 103°F (39.4°C). Remember, a
dog’s average temperature is always higher
than a humans.
If your pet doesn’t seem to be getting any
better, call your veterinarian right away.
Heatstroke in pets can cause long-term
issues, such as brain swelling, kidney failure,
intestinal bleeding and blood clots.
During the Florida summer months, the
amount of time your dog should stay outside
is very limited. Unless you have a very shady
yard, only let them out in the heat of the day
to go to the bathroom or to go on a brief
walk (remember about the sidewalk and
pavement heat). A golf cart ride is
acceptable, but try not to leave them alone
in the cart for too long while it isn’t moving.
The air fl ow will keep them cool, but sitting
outside a store while you shop they will get
quite warm.
Above all, never ... never ... never take your
dog in the car if you intend to go in stores.
Even if you leave the car running,
unforseeable circumstances could lead to
the car stalling, or the dog putting the car in
gear. It’s just not a good idea. And unless the
air temperature outside is below 60 degrees,
it could potentially get too warm in your car
for your dog. It’s not worth the health – or
death – of your pet.