Pet Safety During the Summer

 As a retail director of a New Jersey running company, Jennifer Heiner works closely with the company’s founders to operate four brick and mortar retail stores. Outside of her work, Jennifer Heiner enjoys spending time with her pet, an English bulldog.

Widely known for its gentle disposition, the English bulldog is excellent with children. Owners of English bulldogs also appreciate that they require only moderate exercise and socialization and rarely bark or dig. The primary drawbacks of the breed include high tendencies to drool and snore. English bulldogs can also rapidly overheat and experience breathing problems in warmer climates.

Now that the summer months are almost upon us, its important to make sure that all of our pets, not just English Bulldogs and similar breeds that overheat easily, are safe in the summer heat. 

As you can see in the image above, bulldogs are what are known as "brachycephalic" breeds, which are extremely prone to overheating due to their shortened nasal cavity. The question then becomes, what are some of the signs of overheating in dogs, especially Bulldogs? 

The most common symptoms are the excessive panting, vomiting, GI upset, dark red gums due to lack of proper oxygen, and rapid heartbeat. Dogs can even start to have tremors and develop seizures and fainting spells. 

What are the best ways to avoid these problems? SIMPLE! Keep your dogs inside during the summer. While we are all tempted to have our dogs with us out by the pool (remember, most bulldogs CAN'T SWIM) or joining us in other summer family fun, they unfortunately do not have the ability to sweat and cool down like we do. Therefore, its best to limit their walks to early in the morning or late at night when the sun is not as strong, and the pavement and sidewalks are cooler. Keep fresh water available for them at all times. Invest in cooling blankets and cooling mats to keep them comfortable if they do join you outside. And if your pet starts to develop any of the warning signs, please take them to the vet immediately! Their life depends on it!