IT happens pretty quickly here in the Lower Mainland. Summer, that is.
One week you are pulling on long underwear and an extra fleece jacket and the next weekend you are lathering sun block on your shoulders and walking barefoot along the beach.
Given the unpredictability of our late spring or early summer weather, and thus our confusion about appropriate clothing, it is easy to overlook how our dogs are affected by the fickleness of our West Coast springtime climate.
Just like humans, dogs need time to acclimatize to dramatic weather changes, especially those dogs who have yet to finish losing their winter coats.
You may have noticed that your dog has been panting and seeking cooler places within the home or yard over the last week more so than they would during the middle of summer when temperatures are hotter. This is because they have not had a chance to allow their bodies to become accustomed to the hotter weather.
Dogs have a very poor cooling system compared to humans. Humans cool themselves by sweating. The perspiration that covers our entire body when we are warm allows the air to cool the skin and the blood - which is at the surface of our skin when we are warm - thus bringing down our internal temperature.
Dogs on the other hand are not so efficient. They cool their bodies by pulling air into their lungs by panting. When they take in air through the mouth, the saliva evaporates, cooling the blood in the veins and capillaries of the tongue, and passing it through the dog's circulatory system to cool it down.
Dogs don't sweat like humans do, mainly because they are covered in fur and sweat only through the areas of skin that are not covered in fur, such as the pads of their feet and the skin on their nose.
As the air temperature increases, your dog has to work even harder to keep cool as it is forced to draw warm air into its body. That is why dogs pant harder and faster on hotter days and it is also why they can suffer from heat exhaustion very quickly when they are left in vehicles on hot days.
Now, it seems redundant to tell people not to leave their dogs in their vehicles during warm weather, but some dog owners are still doing it. I'm not sure if it's just laziness or ignorance of the fact that dogs cannot tolerate the heat like humans.
The inside of your car can heat up within a matter of minutes - even in the shade with the windows down - to the point that a dog can no longer cool itself efficiently and can suffer from heat stroke and die.
As I mentioned, our recent hot spell has left us scrambling for shade and sun block over the last week. Don't think your dog is going to be "just fine for a few moments" while you run a few errands and leave it in the car.
You would think dog owners would have common sense regarding this issue, but it's clear that some don't! With temperatures close to 30 degrees I pulled into my local grocery store last Monday afternoon. Beside me was a blue minivan with the windows barely open parked in the full sun with a dog barking frantically inside. I waited a few moments to see if the owner would arrive and planned to request an announcement be made over the store speakers informing shoppers of the distressed dog. I fully intended on embarrassing this owner for their carelessness. Fortunately the owner showed up and I sternly told her that her dog was in obvious discomfort due to the heat.
It's careless and irresponsible to bring your dog with you in the vehicle on warm days, so please think twice before doing so. You will save your dog's life if you do!
Joan has been working with dogs for over 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her at k9kinship.com.
