Dogs with short noses or snouts, like the boxer or a bulldog, are especially prone to heat stroke.
Pacific Palisades and Southern California are being slammed by unseasonably high temperatures. The heat came in Wednesday afternoon, setting records across Southern California.
According to the American Red Cross, heat stroke is a common problem for pets in warm weather. Dogs with short noses or snouts, like the boxer or bulldog, are especially prone to heat stroke, along with overweight pets, those with extremely thick fur coat or any pet with upper respiratory problems such as laryngeal paralysis or collapsing trachea.
Signs of heat stroke in your pet are:
*Heavy panting and unable to calm down, even when lying down
*Brick red gum color
*Fast pulse rate
*Unable to get up
The American Red Cross offers the following tips for keeping pets safe:
- Never leave your pet in a hot vehicle, even for a few minutes. The inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120 degrees even with the windows cracked open.
- Limit exercise on hot days. Exercise in the early morning or evening hours.
- Walk your pet in the grass, if possible, to avoid hot surfaces burning their paws.
- If your pet is outside, make sure they have access to shade and plenty of cool water.
- Water safety is important for your furry friends. Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool—they aren’t all good swimmers
- Watch your pets at a backyard barbecue. Keep them away from the grill and know that some food can be poisonous to them. Avoid raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate and products with artificial sweeteners.
The American Veterinary Medical Association adds that “leave your pets at home if possible when you need to go out and about, and provide different temperature zones within your house for your pet’s comfort.”