SUMMER HEAT

  Summer heat can be rough  on dogs.   Granger has heart issues and he's a Pekingese with a flat face.  Gigi has a nose, so she's less prone to heat issues.   It's better to leave them home if you want to go for a walk when it's hot outside.  The roads and sidewalks retain heart and it is so hard for them to cool down.   Dogs can be in great distress before we realize it.  

Jagger is a puppy-- his mom is very careful about the heat.   But, some people just don't think about it.  

Fancy and other flat faced dogs can be effected by the heat in less than 5 minutes.   Their throat can swell and a crises can happen very quickly.  

Buffy is older, too.   She loves to be outside, but when it's warm, her trips outside are FAST.

Ace's mom is very vigilant about how long he is outside.   But, if you dog does get overheated, you can use Pedialyte to rehydrate.  Put them in cool water in a sink, and get to a vet if it gets worse.

I posted this before:

When you read or hear about the bulldog-type, short-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds having more trouble with the heat, you may wonder why. On a good day, with moderate temperatures, they have a much more difficult time moving air to their lungs because of their anatomy.
This picture shows the back of the mouth of a long-nosed dog on the left (a collie-retriever cross) and a short-nosed dog on the right (a pug). You can see that this area is compressed and limited in the pug. Pugs, Bulldogs (all types), Bostons, Boxers, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Pekingese, etc. all have this anatomy. The space is even more limited when they are overweight or obese.
When it is hot, dogs can only cool themselves by panting. Excessive panting leads to swelling in the back of the mouth and throat. This swelling makes it even more difficult for the brachycephalic breeds to breath and they can suffocate.
In fact, any dog can succumb to heat stroke or compromised breathing so PLEASE DO NOT exercise or leave dogs outside in the sun or in cars when it is hot. They trust us to make good choices and take care of them!"

Bellamy is not older, and he's active-- but he can get hot.  His mom is so careful.  

Fey also has a heart condition-- she can't risk getting hot or having her throat swell.  Dogs who are older or ones who have a medical condition.   Even longer nosed dogs need to be monitored.  

Gigi my granddog is 8 now.   She's rather be inside-- good decision, Gigi. 

Here are two charts to help you and to share.   

Keeping our dogs safe is important to each of us.   We want them around a long time.