We experienced an unusually hot week in Los Angeles last week. A couple of afternoons, the temperature hit 118 degrees and then some. Walking dogs was quite a challenge and it was very important to watch for overheating while at the same time giving the animals a break from their day inside their homes.
As a pet owner, you need to treat your animal as you would your small child. That means no leaving them in a car in hot weather -- even with windows open, the temperatures rise quickly. On a usual "hot" day temperatures can get into triple digits...imagine what an oven your car can become on a day in the 90's or low 100's. Dogs can only cool themselves through panting and the pads of their feet. They can easily overheat in the car and in just a few short minutes -- even if you are parked in the shade and even if you have windows cracked open.
If you leave your dogs outside, make sure they can find plenty of cool shade and have access to cool water to drink. Try freezing small buckets of ice and then letting them melt in a water bowl over several hours.
