How can you keep your farm dogs safe from heat stress? That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Dogs aren’t proficient at sweating like humans are, and that makes them much more prone to overheating. Veterinarian Tony Hawkins says overweight, older, or out-of-shape dogs, along with dogs with underlying health conditions may be at greater risk than healthier dogs. Dogs suffering from heat stress may demonstrate excessive panting, difficulty breathing, vomiting, and diarrhea. At that point, it’s critical that the animal gets veterinary care.
Tips to keep dogs safe include never leaving dogs in parked cars that are turned off. In just 25 minutes, a car on a 73-degree day can reach 100 degrees inside. Also, plan those farm activities dogs can tag along for, such as checking fences, during the cooler times of the day.
Hawkins says dogs aren’t good at stopping when they get hot and just run until they get overheated. Also, clip those dogs with long hair coats.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.