Continued high temperatures locally are impacting pets and owners.
With temperatures consistently in the 90s and the heat index often topping 100, there are concerns ranging from higher utility bills to safety.
“It’s when people want to be out, and they want to be out with their pets because they’re family and they want to do activities outside,” Kara Campadonico, veterinarian at the Loudon County Animal Hospital, said. “Not all of these pets can handle this weather. In fact, most of them cannot.”
Heat strokes can easily happen to pets. Humans are able to regulate body temperature by sweating through the skin all over the body. Household pets, such as dogs, can only sweat through their paws and by panting.
Such lack of temperature regulation makes them more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, especially in humid conditions.
“When you only have that tiny amount for evaporation, you are at a high risk of heat stroke and overheating, and it’s very easy during this time of weather,” Campadonico said.
A veterinarian for 18 years, she sees an increase in cases when the heat tops 75 degrees. Some short nose, or brachycephalic, breeds are at an even higher risk.
“They can’t handle it at all,” Campadonico said. “You really shouldn’t have them out other than early morning and very, very late evening. Unfortunately, those are also the highest time for mosquitoes, but it’s better than heat stroke.”
Some signs of heat stroke owners can look for are:
• Excessive panting.
• Saliva increase.
• Lethargic behavior.
• Bright red gums compared to normal pink.
• Bloody stool.
Major signs include vomiting and collapse and need to be immediately addressed by a veterinarian.
If a pet shows any signs of heat stoke, Campadonico said bring their body temperature down at a steady rate in a cool environment. Rapid de-escalation through cold water or environments can cause the pet to go into shock.
“It’s my recommendation that if they think their dog has heat stroke by all means get them in cool weather,” she said. “Blowing a fan on them is not going to be enough. Wrapping them in a cold, wet blanket actually insulates them more. Get them to the vet, keep them as cool as you can, but do it in a smart way and call and have them coach you through while you’re on your way.”
Outdoor pets are encouraged to be moved indoors for the hottest parts of the day if possible, but owners who cannot bring pets inside can still take action.
An immediate action for outdoor pets is proper shade and ventilation.
“You need to make sure that they have appropriate shade and lots of fresh water, and the water is easily accessible,” she said. “The shade needs something to be where the air can flow through. If the air doesn’t flow through, it just gets hotter and hotter and hotter like a car. So even though we think of a dog house as being shaded, it’s not because the air doesn’t flow through. It just becomes a heat box.”
Burning or blistering of paws is also a concern.
Rising heat can make asphalt or pavement hot to the touch. There are sunscreens made for pets that can be applied to paws or exposed skin such as ears.
Campadonico said not to use human sunscreen for animals since zinc in those products can be poisonous. Owners do not need a prescription for proper pet products.
The best way to prevent blistered or sluffed paws is to let pets walk in the grass instead of paved areas.
“Walk them where you would walk if you were in flip flops or bare feet on a hot day,” Campadonico said. “… If the asphalt is hot enough to fry an egg, it’s hot enough to fry their feet.”
One way to prevent heat stoke is to only allow pets outside in early morning or late evening when the weather is coolest. Campadonico recommends keeping flea, tick and heart-worm treatments updated to prevent diseases.
Some residents already have put veterinarian advice into practice.
Melissa Norris takes her dogs Tass and Millie outside in the afternoons and keeps them in during the day. She keeps blinds and curtains closed with the air conditioning running.
“(Millie’s) a princess,” Norris said. “She can’t deal with the heat. It is hot so she stays at home.”
Todd Morgan also takes his dog Ellie May out in the afternoons to combat the heat. The pair were visiting Lenoir City’s dog park and letting Ellie May stretch her legs.
“We are only out late in the evenings,” Morgan said. “It’s too hot.”
For more information, Campadonico recommends going to humanesociety.org.
“If it’s uncomfortable for you, it’s even more so for them,” she said.
