Triple-digit temperatures are especially hard on our four-legged friends who don’t always have the ability to tell pet owners when they’re dangerously close to heat stroke.
Veterinarians say keeping your pets cool all day is one of the best things you can do to help them stay safe during a heat wave.
Service dog Dill was getting a cool shampoo Tuesday, as dog owners do their best to keep their furry friends comfortable as the thermometer pushes past 105 degrees.
“I took him for a walk very early this morning before it got hot and now I’m giving him a bath to clean him and cool him off at the same time,” said Carole Adler-Huges of Santa Clara County.
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At Archvet in San Jose they have IVFluid bags ready to go for pets coming in with the most common heat related problem: heat stroke.
“If you see a cat excessively panting or rapid breathing cats don’t pant. If they are, then, they are in distress and on a hot day like today they could be having heat stroke,” said Dr. Lakhpreet Saggi, Archvet veterinarian.
Other symptoms of heat stroke in pets include:
- Excessive drooling
- Acting disoriented
- Dark red gums
Saggi said you should also do this critical test before walking your dog.
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“Touch the ground with your own hand if it’s too hot to hold it there for a few seconds then the asphalt is too hot and can burn your dogs paws,” said Saggi.
Some pampering can help too.
“We do have cooling pads that they can lay down on and help them cool and regulate their own body heat it’s important for long haired dogs,” said Clay Fales, assistant manager at Pet Food Express.
He said at Pet Food Express, customers are also buying up frozen bones and doggie gelato -- just one more way to help our furry friends chill in this record heat.
