Keeping your dogs safe in the summer heat
Brandi Munden from the American Kennel Club joins AccuWeather and shares how to protect your dog from the heat this summer.
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00:00So if you aren't making any plans for this summer, you want to stay safe with your family,
00:04but also for your pets. And protecting your dog from the heat on pavement and sand
00:09is just one of those safety tips to remember. Here with more is Brandi Munden, VP of Public
00:15Relations and Communications for the American Kennel Club. Thank you so much for joining us,
00:19Brandi. And let's get right to it. A lot of people may have some beach plans here.
00:23We would need to wear sunscreen, bring water and snacks. Are all these things kind of true
00:28when it comes to dogs? They actually are. So first step, you want to make sure that your
00:33beach allows dogs. You want to make sure you know what their leash policy is so that you are not
00:38violating any rules and your dog can have a good time. You want to be careful with heat stroke.
00:43Dogs get very hot. They don't sweat like humans. So you want to look out for any sign of heat
00:48stroke, which means your dog would need to cool down, not in the car by itself,
00:52but your dog would need to cool down and you need to take those precautions.
00:56You also want to apply sunscreen to your dog's nose and their ears. And if they have maybe a
01:01thinner coat, you want to make sure you're getting those spaces that have sparse fur
01:05so they don't get sunburned at all. Be careful with the paw pads on hot sand,
01:10but you don't necessarily have to put sunscreen on the paw pads, but you want to make sure that
01:14the sand is not too hot and they're not spending too much time on it. Bring fresh water. I know
01:19there's an ocean out there. Absolutely. But you don't want your dog drinking that water per se
01:25is saltwater. It also has bacteria in it that can cause GI disruption and that could make a fun day
01:30at the beach go awry. So you want to bring plenty of fresh water for them to make sure that they
01:35have drinking water because they will also get hot. You do not want your dog to eat sand.
01:41They'll do it. Dogs will eat anything. We know these things, but sand can cause sand can cause
01:46GI disruptions and it can block their intestines, which would lead to an impaction, which could be
01:51a very costly surgery and a very long healing time for them per se. So you want to make sure
01:56that you're monitoring them. They're not eating sand, bring their food, bring some treats,
02:00but make sure they're not eating the sand. And you want to be on the lookout for sea life. If
02:06jellyfish and stingray are getting close to the shore, you want to make sure that you have your
02:11dog on leash or you have them away from there. Jellyfish stings and stingray stings, which is a
02:21tongue twister, can be a lot on a dog. They can be dangerous and in some cases fatal because of
02:26the poison that they can shoot into the dog. So you want to make sure that you're being mindful
02:29of the sea life that's there. And most importantly, check the water conditions if your dog is going to
02:34go out in the water. Dogs think they're great swimmers, but check with the lifeguard just to
02:38make sure it's not too choppy so you don't have a rescue on your hands and you should have a pretty
02:43great day with your dog. Brandy, those are some excellent tips. I didn't know about the sunscreen.
02:48I think that's super important. If there's any kind of final quick safety tips that you have
02:52ahead of the summer season. Never leave your dog in cars. Thank you guys so much for saying that.
02:58If your dog cannot go inside, the dog does not need to go. As much as we love them, cars get
03:03entirely too hot. Be mindful of them being on the sand and the hot pavement. Carrying a paw balm
03:09with you is actually a very helpful tip so that those paws don't get cracked. And just make sure
03:15you're mindful of your dog at all times and be courteous to other beach goers. We want everybody
03:19to have a great experience, including your dog. So pay attention to the rules, make sure you're
03:24prepared, and have the best summer with your dog. Brandy Munden, Vice President of Public Relations
03:29and Communications for the American Kennel Club. Thank you so much for all the excellent tips and
03:34we hope you have a safe summer.