Scorching heat can make dog walking dangerous
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We all know how dangerous it is to leave a dog inside a hot vehicle, but few of us ever think about how walking our pups on hot surfaces can be just as risky.
Why it matters: Walks in the summer are necessary, but Atlanta's scorching temperatures feel even hotter on paved surfaces. For dogs, this means their paws are highly susceptible to heat-related injuries.
What they're saying: Dr. Charles McMillan, a partner veterinarian with GoodVets on Marietta Boulevard in northwest Atlanta, told Axios that pet owners usually are not aware that their dog is suffering because the animals are generally "people pleasers."
- "Oftentimes, these injuries … don't necessarily manifest themselves until later after they're inside," said the veterinarian, adding that the full extent of injuries could appear after returning home — or even a day after a walk.
Threat level: If it's 80 degrees outside, the pavement will typically be 30 to 40 degrees higher than the ambient temperature, said Dr. Will Draper, practice director of Village Vets in Decatur.
- In August, when 90+ degree days are the norm, the temperature of the pavement can reach at least 120 degrees.
- "What people don't understand is that if you can't handle the pavement with your hand or with your feet, then your dog can't either," he said.
Be smart: Draper told Axios that dogs pant and cool themselves off by sweating through the glands located on their paw pads.
- If the pads are continuously injured, the glands can become damaged, thus making it "detrimental to their ability to control their body heat."
🐾 Pro tips: Both veterinarians told Axios that pet owners should walk their dogs early in the mornings or later in the evenings when the sun is not high in the sky. They also said walking on grass and other softer surfaces could provide some relief.
- Owners should watch their dogs after walks to see if they are limping or paying extra attention to a certain paw.
- Dogs should not wear booties or other shoes unless they have either an injury that needs to heal or an underlying condition where they can't maintain their footing.
- Sunscreen can be used, especially on white dogs, pups with lighter skin and those with little or no fur.
- Owners of brachycephalic dogs, which have shorter snouts, should be mindful that, because they have a harder time regulating their body temperatures, they are more susceptible to heat stroke.