BY NEIL COPELAND, Special to The Insider
I realize that it is the beginning of March and maybe too early to talk about heat acclimation for your pet, but in the dog world this is a very important subject. Every spring we should go over the do’s and don’ts concerning heat injuries.
Heat injuries do not just happen on hot days. We are in the most dangerous times of the year for dogs to reach their limits. As the temperature bounces back and forth between cool and warm, our pets are most at risk. Please be aware of the signs of heat injuries.
The first sign that can visibly be noticed is heavy panting. Panting is obvious and many people overlook it. Yes, dogs pant when excited, anxious or hot. A hot panting dog could have a more flattened tongue, blue or bright red. Panting is a natural way of getting rid of excess heat due to a dog’s inability to sweat.
In some cases, an additional sign of heat stress can be a dog’s inability to perform tasks such as “here,” “sit” or others that otherwise your pet performs. A dog may start to stumble or have issues getting up. These are just some of the signs of heat injuries but are very noticeable to the eye.
We want everyone with pets to make springtime fun and get out, but please be careful at all times and mostly during these upcoming days of acclimation.
Copeland is the owner of Seven Lakes Kennels
