Keeping your dog happy and safe in the heat

[Deleted]

Advice would be appreciated for a relative newbie - this will be our first summer with a greyhound.

I had to make a trip to Debyshire today which is about 1hr 10 mins away. I thought I would take Jess as she travels very well and, as my errand would only take a few minutes, I planned a walk for us around Matlock. I didn't realise it was going to reach 25 degrees today!!

The weather started to warm up after we'd stopped for a cuppa. I had all the windows open in the car and it cooled down on the motorway. The person I was supposed to meet was delayed so Jess and I went for a wander as we couldn't wait in the boiling car.

Even though she was watered and we walked in the shade she was panting SO much that several passerbys saw fit to comment One lady told me she has a Lintrum (sp?) dog thingy in her car, so she can leave her dog in her parked car with the boot open and this keeps him cool. Has anyone heard of or used these. Are they suitable for greys?

On the journey back Jess panted so much I was getting very stressed and always the drama queen I stopped off at the vet to have her checked out to make sure I hadn't inflicted heatstroke on her. Vet said she was fine.

I'd hoped that in the summer we'd be able to take Jess on country walks or short spells on the beach but I'm wondering if greys are too sensitive to heat?

Sorry for the ramble, I'm really just looking for some advice on how to keep her safe and healthy whilst enjoying the summer - assuming we get some

[gazer]

Hi, as you have discovered today greyhounds do not do especially well in the heat.
They have very thin skin and hardly any body fat, their bodies are not well equipped to deal with a hot sunny day.
Lots of stuff you can do, if travelling always have loads of water with you, I also carry a spray bottle so if any of mine are very hot I spray their bellies and undersides. Take a towel and if needed this can be soaked in water and laid over the dog, don't let it dry out tho'.
Sounds like you are already aware of the dangers of dogs in cars on even a warm day, let alone a hot one.

I personally don't exercise my greyhound at hot parts of the day, he just doesn't cope well at all, in the summer walks are very early in the morning and late in the evening when it has cooled down.

Below is a link to a thread about Hyperacute Exertional Rhabdomyloysis.
As an owner of a greyhound you need to be informed.

greyhoundgap.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=New&action=display&thread=34223

There are various items on the market for dogs and heat, cooling mats, towelling coats (which you wet down) reflective coats which are supposed to reflect the heat away, I've never used one of these tho'.

I've probably left loads of stuff out but I'm sure others will be along with more info.

Note: I've never heard of a Lintrum, maybe some sort of fan ??

Jacqui

[andywillow]

Did the lady mean some sort of tailgate guard for the car when she said lintrum? Barjo do these but I certainly wouldnt leave a dog in the car alone even with one of these for security reasons nevermind anything else!
Greyhounds are very sensitive to heat, I never walk mine when the sun is at its strongest and when I do walk them in hot weather I usually drive mine 10 minutes to the woods where its much cooler.
If we are travelling anywhere with them they are ok as Mark's van has air con so no problem there.
I bought a cooling mat for mine some years ago but none of mine will lay on it, although I do find it useful to soak and drape over them if they are warm, especially the black hounds.
Also if you have a dog who goes offlead, keep it onlead to walk steadily if its usually one that hoons around like a loon
When its really hot I'd rather not walk mine at all than risk anything happening, having said that they are more than happy just to mooch around the garden and chill in really hot weather.

Sue

[tinar]

Leaving a block of Sulphur in dog and cat water is something we've done as a family since we lived in Cyprus 30 odd years ago.

It has a cooling action and really seems to help.

[julies]

I think it might be Lintrans - its a travelling box which fits in cars and trucks with a mesh screen on the back so you can padlock the mesh door and leave the tailgate up .. they do dog trailers and things too.

I don't exercise them in the heat either

J x

[123lurcherlover]

Has anyone experience in/of using those 'cooling' jackets? They are quite expensive, but are they worth the cost?? The little dim-wit is unable to source shade for herself and keeps lying on the lawn where its too hot!!
Baby gate on back door not an option- now rather wishing she hadnt started agility - she jumps over everything!!

childrens white t shirt reflects some heat, what else can be done ( apart from obviously keeping inside but as soon as the doors open -shes out there!!)

Just late evening walks here too -when its a bit cooler

[Emma]

We go out early and another one before bed.
The early walk is always more pleasant as there is dew on the grass and much cooler for the dogs.
During the day, if your dog is a sun worshipper, a wet tea towel or handtowel draped over them will keep them cool. Or, if its really hot, slowly pour some cool (not cold) water over the back of their neck and down their back, and leave them wet, the drying will cool them down.
Dot had a bath this morning, and I left her gently towel dried, she took a couple of hours to dry properly (she's got a long coat)

Emma x

[Melanie]

Having a black dog, I find if he's out in the heat his fur becomes hot to the touch. I keep him in the shade and we go slow. I bought a silver coat that should reflect the heat. My dog walker used it for the first time today and she'll let me know if it worked.
I find if we do go out somewhere, we stay in the sun as little as possible and if there's an ice cream van, he'll have a mr whippy
Good tip about the spray bottle, I'll get one of those sorted

[brooke1]

I try and walk Brooke early morning and evening when it's slightly cooler, and I have a silver reflective coat for her but only used it a couple of times as I'm not sure that it really works anyway. At the moment she is laying on the sofa with the electric fan blowing on her! Spoilt or what!

[Deleted]

Thanks for your replies. Jess is black and I was aware that I have to be extra careful with her- I was taken unawares by the sudden hot weather. I don't do too well in extreme heat mysel

Lots of useful tips - thanks

[dash4misty]

Obie is black and he tends to stay indoors when its hot ( his choice ) he gets walked early morning and evening, when we had Libby she loved the sun , as soon as the back door was opened she was straight in the garden , i used to get the umbrella to shade her and she used to move back in the sun
Sue x

[dizzi]

I don't think Nancy's getting walked today to be honest - I've had a hideous stomach bug and haven't been up to getting her out very first thing, and now it's hotter than I'd like to be walking her in - will take the idiot slobbery unidentifiable species of mutt out later since he'll just go yomping straight into the undergrowth where it's cooler and let him run through the stream on one of our walks - but will just leave Nan at home.

Can't easily leave our back door open because the cat gets out.

[julies]

Someone recommended Kool coats which wick away the heat ... be careful about buying other coats which have to be wetted as they tend to heat up under the coat so a bit pointless Kool coats aren't greyhound shaped so I was told to get a made to measure one (why don't I have normal shaped dogs?) They're about £55 for a greyhound one but you send your dog coat to the company and they'll make you one in an identical fit ..

J xx

[tesse0barney]

we've had very few walks here this week and all later on after 8.45pm.

[dizzi]

Basically your average greyhoud is, in essence, allergic to weather... don't do cold, don't do rain, don't do snow, don't do heat...

We got out briefly (the entire house has a particularly evil stomach bug and walking in heat when you haven't eaten in over 24 hours is interesting) about 8pm in the end - just very leisurely and if my new baby carrier ever arrives (my current sling is black, thick and stretchy) I'll take them down by the stream I can't get to with the pushchair this evening.