Re: Too Hot?

In Reply to: Too Hot?
Category:   Medical
Posted by:  Ally
Posted on:  April 29, 2003 at 17:54:57

: Today was our first hot day of the spring in Tennessee (and humid!). It was about 85 degrees F. My eleven-month-old JRT, Gidget, and I went out for our normal afternoon walk, and she seemed to do fine, although she did plop down in the grass and rest for a few minutes which is a first for her (I don't think I've ever seen her lay down on anything but a pillow or furniture before!). On the way home she dragged behind a little bit, and when we got home she had a little drink of water and then headed for the bed to lay down. I was a little concerned so I closed the windows and turned the air conditioning in the house on, and now she seems perky and ready to play again.

: I don't think she had heat stroke today, but it's going to get a lot hotter here before the summer is over, so here are my questions. Is an hour too long to walk (briskly) in the summer? Should I take water with me on our walks? Should I be sure to leave the air on in the house for her during the day time? How hot is too hot?? My vet's office told me I could put her in the bathtub with cool water when we got home from walking to cool her down, but that didn't seem like great advice based on reading previous posts to this forum.

: Thanks for all of your wonderful advice! It's been such a help to me in raising my JRT.

: ally

Response:

Dear Ally,

Like us humans, dogs who are used to a climate controlled environment need time to get used to the change in the outside temperature. Mother Nature has not made it easy for us (cold one day, hot and humid the next) to make that transition so we need to be very careful when we exercise outdoors.

I suggest you should start by limiting the length of Gidget's walks to 15-20 minutes at a time, several times a day. If she shows any reluctance to continue, follow her lead -- rest for a bit while you both drink some water that you've carried with you. When you get home, you can use a cold wash cloth to cool her down -- head, chest, groin, paws, etc.