How to keep your pets cool and safe in CSRA’s high temps

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - We’re on your side with how you can keep your family pets cool and safe as temps keep getting hotter.

Heat can be dangerous for your pets, so before you go outside or take them on a walk, it’s important to check the temperature of the ground. If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for their paws.

“I was standing next to my car and I was like, his paws must be burning over there. So let me go stand in the shade,” said Fatma Abdel-Khaliq, a pet owner.

As the heat rises, the level of protection for your pet should, too.

Jade Garrett with the SPCA Aiken Albrecht Center said: “Just like in the winter, when it’s cold, and you worry about animals kind of like freezing in the wintertime, you definitely worry about animals overheating in the summertime as well.”

They say to look for signs such as excessive panting, sickness or thirst.

“Another thing is to check their gums, around their mouth, their lips and their tongue. It can become purple, or like extra pink or red, then you’ll know that they’re overheating and that’s also a sign of heatstroke,” said Garrett.

If you notice these signs, it’s important to get them help.

“If you bring them in from outside, allow them to cool themselves down a little bit before offering them water because that could make them sick,” said Garrett.

Paradise Animal Hospital’s Veterinarian Dr. Steve Knittel says to monitor more than just the outside heat.

“Some people don’t take into consideration the temperature of the concrete that they are on,” he said.

Mandi Jo Gilstrap deals with this every day. She’s a dog walker, so when the temperature changes, so do her walking routes.

“I try to walk them in areas that don’t have a lot of concrete or asphalt because they can burn the pads of their paws,” she said.

If the pavement is too hot for you to hold your hand there for 10 seconds, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws. And you also need to pay attention to your dog’s behavior.

“The degree of panting and trembling that goes on if they seem to not have a pause in their panting, they might have some trouble cooling down,” said Gilstrap.

Gilstrap walks dogs seven days a week, so in the Georgia heat, she’s seen it happen before.

“Just knowing the dogs and knowing their behavior, I can tell if they aren’t acting like they normally do,” she said.

When in doubt, she goes by a simple principle.

“Honestly, if you are too hot, they are too hot,” said Gilstrap.

But there’s also ways to prevent heat illnesses in pets.

Dr. Nicole Hasstedt, a veterinarian at the SPCA, said: “It’s good to do that earlier in the morning or later in the day when it’s cooler out. And then if they are going to go outside, make sure that they have access to some shade so they can seek some shelter and get some relief from the UV radiation, especially on dogs that have lighter coats, they can sunburn really easily.”

More tips

Here are some tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:

• Get your pet an early summer checkup.
• Give pets plenty of fresh, clean water.
• Watch for signs of overheating like excessive panting or difficulty breathing, higher heart and respiratory rate, drooling, weakness, stupor or collapse.
• Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle.
• Animals with flat faces like pugs and Persian cats are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as well.
• Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool.
• Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed, and tightly secure screens.
• Feel free to trim longer hair on your dog, but never shave your dog.
• Don’t let dogs linger on hot asphalt.

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