1 Make Frozen Treats
Frozen dog treats is one of the great ways on how to cool down a dog and keep your pooch cool during hot months and they’re easy and affordable to make. If you’re looking for recipes, take a look at Samanthas recipes, like this one or this one.
This rounds up the whole list of most effective and efficient ways on how to cool down a dog, any of which you can use to prevent and deal with a dog whose overheating, but few that can be used when your pooch is already in a heatstroke state (see above). With that being said, here are the five worst and dangerous ways on how to cool down a dog which are sometimes found as advice online but you should absolutely AVOID.
Use a freezing-cold ice pack
I am a big fan of using ice packs to cool down dogs. They provide instant relief from the heat.
Gunner, my German Shepherd agrees. In his old age, he struggles with the summer heat. Even in the cooler evenings, he is noticeably uncomfortable, panting loudly – it distresses me to see him like this.
But when he lays on an ice pack, the relief is immediate. Gunner instantly relaxes as the ice pack refreshes him..
You probably already have everything on hand to make a DIY ice pack.
Grab a water bottle, fill it with water and place it in your freezer. Once it has frozen, place on the ground under your dog’s chin.
Alternatively, fill a zip-lock bag with ice cubes and hand it to your pup to lay on. Or if you want to sacrifice a pack of frozen peas, that will work too.
You can also consider using a cold pack – if you have ever needed to ice an injury, you may even have one in your medical cabinet.
A better solution again is a cold-wrap. These cold packs have an elastic strap, allowing them to be attached to your dog. Now your dog doesn’t have to lay down in to cool off.
Each cold wrap provides roughly 30 minutes of cooling comfort, more than enough time to cool down your hot and bothered pooch.
Important: Ice packs are not safe for chewers. ice packs should only be used under supervision and removed. Remove the ice pack immediately if your dog starts chewing.
Signs That Your Dog is Overheated
When your dog is overheated you may notice the following signs and symptoms:
If your dog displays any of these signs of overheating, act quickly to bring down their body temperature while monitoring their symptoms and using the below tips on how to cool down a dog effectively. If symptoms begin to wane with cooling, keep a watchful eye on your dog and continue helping to lower their body temperature until their bodys temperature has reached a healthy 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the dogs body reaches a normal body temperature, keep a close eye on your pup for the next 24 hours in case of any signs of damage to the bodily systems and don’t put the dog in any situation that may raise their body temperature again.
How to Cool Your Dog Down in Summer! Tips on How to Keep Your Dog Cool in Hot Weather! Dog Health!
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Beth Turner is a veterinarian with over 20 years of experience. She graduated from North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine and following graduation, she began her career as an associate veterinarian and worked closely with the local shelter.
In 2007 she accomplished her dream of practice ownership, designing and building her own clinic. Another meaningful role, while running her clinic, was serving as her countys shelter veterinarian. This gave her the opportunity to help improve the lives of many animals in her community as well as work with the rescue she loved. She sold her practice in 2019 to move across the country.
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