Tips to keep your pets cool in extreme heat

DELMARVA – As hot weather continues to impact Delmarva, it’s important to remember your furry friends.

Experts say you should limit your pets’ time outside, especially in the middle of the day when temperatures are at their peak. If you take your pet for a walk, you should keep those walks as short as possible, and try to stick to grassy areas.

Humane Society of Wicomico County Events Coordinator Whitney Hoffman says pets can burn their paw pads on the pavement in as little as five seconds, and experience heat exhaustion in 10 to 15 minutes.

“We recommend only walking them in the morning before it gets too hot or in the very late afternoon when it’s already cooled down. Try not to walk them in the middle of the day, it’s just way too hot for those dogs out there.”

Some signs of heat exhaustion in pets include excessive panting, weakness, and lethargy. Hoffman says it is important to cool down your pet gradually, rather than quickly.

“A very important thing when dogs overheat, a lot of people think that they just need to cool the dog down immediately but in fact it could end up actually doing more harm than good. It’s very important to slowly bring their body temperature back up. So try to pout some lukewarm water on them, soak it into their skin and fur and just keep doing that every so often.”

If you think your pet may be suffering from heat stroke, you should always contact your veterinarian immediately.