Keep Your Dog Safe And Healthy On Hot Maine Days

Planning on taking your dog out this summer in Maine.

Well, the ASPCA has some tips and warnings for keeping your furry family member healthy on hot summer days.

• The most obvious is to never leave your dog in a vehicle. We all think about the inside of a car, but the floor of a truck bed gets scorching hot too. You aren't doing your dog a favor by keeping him in the bed of your truck while you shop at Home Depot.
• Makes sure your dog gets plenty of hydration from fresh water and ice cube treats.
• Shade is super important if your dog spends time outside, it helps to prevent heat stroke.
• A kiddie pool in the back yard is a great idea on hot days.
• Use the seven second rule. Hold your hand against the pavement for seven seconds, if it's too hot for you - it's too hot for your dog.
• Walk your dog early in the morning or in the evening when the air and pavement are cooler.

If it's hot out and you want to walk your dog, take off your socks and shoes to see if you can tolerate the sidewalk. Your dogs' paw pads aren't as tough as you think, they can burn easily and it's super painful.

Signs of burned pads:

• blisters are redness
• licking  and chewing their feet
• limping or refusing to walk
• pads become a darker color
• missing part of the pad, rawness

Get Fido to the vet right away if you see any of these signs.

Heat stroke can kill your dog and it can happen quickly, a 2 degree rise in your dogs body temperature is all it takes for them to get heat stroke. Watching people run with their dogs when it's hot out makes my blood boil! The survival rate for a dog that gets heat stroke is only 50%

Signs that a dog has heat stroke:

• Collapsing or staggering
• glassy, fearful eyes
• seizure
• racing heart
• heavy panting,
• drooling
• vomiting
• red or purple gums and tongue

If you are concerned that you dog has heat stroke immediately get them into some shade, in front of a fan, put towels soaked in cool (not cold) water on them, offer them drinking water and call your vet right away.