Although dogs sweat, they do it much differently than their human counterparts. Most of their perspiration comes through their paw pads.
The dog’s tongue and the lining of their lungs are the primary locations where their body heat is transferred to the air. Rather than relying upon sweat, the principal mechanism that a dog uses to cool himself involves panting with his mouth open. This allows the moisture on his tongue to evaporate, and the heavy breathing also allows the moist lining of their lungs to serve as a surface from which moisture can evaporate. In this way the dog can manage a significant cooling of his body temperature.
Dogs also dissipate some body heat by the expanding blood vessels in their face and ears. If it is not too hot outside, this helps to cool the dog's blood by causing it to flow closer to the surface of the skin. This mechanism works best if the overheating is due to exercise, rather than a high outside temperature.
All three methods of cooling help keep your dog from overheating but are not enough by themselves. Below are some helpful hints that you can take to ensure your dog does not overheat, stays cool, and remains healthy during these hot summer months.
- Use spray bottle or mister for periodically spraying dog's body.
- Avoid excessive play on hot days.
- Provide fresh cool water to keep your dog well hydrated.
- Avoid leaving your dog in the car.
- If your dog does become overheated, contact your vet immediately.
You might guess that another reason why dogs might not deal well with heat is because they are covered in fur, which could make their bodies quite hot in the summer. This is only partially the case since fur is actually an insulator that serves as a barrier between the outside environment and the dog's interior. It acts much like the vacuum barrier in a thermos. Thus in the winter the fur preserves the body heat and serves as a barrier to keep the cold out. In the summer it is a barrier to the outside heat. Unfortunately, in a continuously hot environment, once there is a temperature build up in the body, the fur then serves as an impediment to cooling since the heat then has a hard time dissipating through it.
May your dogs have a COOL summer!
