Beat the Heat

As you may know one of Dozer’s favorite ways to beat the heat is hitting the surf. Taking our dogs to beach for a cool down is a great remedy to beat the heat! The trip to the ocean provides plenty of fun for both canines and humans alike. If your pooch is like dozer he will be “toes to the nose” for some soul surfing. We need to keep in mind that an increase in exercise will always cause water loss in our dogs even while they are in the water!

Very important to remember…

This loss of bodily fluid will cause our dogs to become even thirstier. Our dogs need lots of fresh water while at the beach. If they are not provided with plenty of fresh water, they will drink the salt water. If I do not make sure Dozer gets plenty of fresh water, he will start lapping up the ocean like a kid with a cherry slurpy – remember how refreshing that was as kid?

As you may know, drinking salt water can cause dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea, all of which is not healthy for your dog, I don’t much like it either, reminds me of a surf trip to Mexico, I digress…

I went to the internet and here is what I learned happens when Dozer drinking salt water.

Salt water pulls liquid into our dog’s intestines, causing an osmotic effect. Often, this will cause diarrhea, which will only worsen the dehydration. Vomiting may also occur, especially if your dog drinks salt water quickly.

I keep an eye on Dozer and prevent him from drinking from the ocean as soon as I see him trying to do so. Here is something to keep in mind, even if your dog does not actually drink the salt water, he/she may ingest small amounts while playing and swimming in the water. If your dog swallows any sand with the salt water, it will worsen the effects of the salt water and hurt the intestines. If your dog ingests any algae, bacteria, or toxins while at the beach, he can become sick later on. You will want to obey those infamous orange warning signs.

So as we hit the beach with our pooches let’s all remember to bring lots of water and plan many breaks from the beach playtime so they can drink, relax and hydrate. Ensuring our dogs drink lots of fresh water is the only way to prevent our dogs from lapping up some of the ocean.

On a similar topic… Here is a tip I ran across in terms of heat stroke.

If your dog displays symptoms of heatstroke such as: panting, dehydration, warm dry skin, failure to respond to commands; rapid heartbeat and collapse. You should immediately move our dog to a cool place and offer them plenty of cool water.

Do not soak your dog or immerse them in cold water because their body temperature can plummet and they could develop severe hypothermia.

Dr Tim Hackett, Critical Care Unit at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.