Summer is getting hotter and hotter, and in such weather it is easy for four-legged pets to overheat. When dogs show signs of heat stress, experts recommend cooling the animal as soon as possible by placing it in a cool place, using wet towels or indirectly applying ice. However, American veterinarians recommend another method, which they have recently confirmed experimentally to be more effective.

With overheating or hyperthermia, the body temperature in dogs rises above the upper threshold of the generally accepted norm. Normal values ​​​​for different breeds vary slightly depending on size, but usually a temperature of 39.5 ° C or higher is considered high. With severe hyperthermia, indicators exceed 41 ° C, which can threaten the health of the dog and even lead to death if the animal is not immediately helped.

Heat combined with moderate to high humidity can quickly cause heat stress in service dogs with high activity intensity. Pet dogs that lead an active lifestyle by playing and running outside can overheat in the summer months.

People working in pairs with four-legged assistants and ordinary pet owners in the heat need to be more attentive to their wards, to notice and respond to manifestations of overheating. In addition to high fever, this can be indicated by intense shortness of breath with protruding tongue, salivation and thickening, anxiety, squinting of ears and squinting of eyes, shadow search and a number of other signs.

A dog in this condition may need veterinary care, but you should start cooling the animal immediately before taking it to the clinic. As a rule, it is recommended to completely or partially immerse the dog in cold water, use a fan, wet towels or ice packs. However, these funds are not always at hand.

Veterinary experts from the Service Dog Breeding Center have found a more accessible and at the same time effective method Penn Veterinary University of Pennsylvania (USA). In an article published in the journal Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA)They suggested teaching dogs to voluntarily dip their muzzles into water at the level of their eyes or ears.

The researchers used 12 service dogs to test a similar dip, comparing its effectiveness with three other cooling techniques: applying cold-water-soaked towels to the dogs’ armpits, wrapping them around their necks, and placing two hypothermic cold packs around their necks. In each case, the cooling effect lasted for half a minute.

Studies have shown that immersing dogs’ heads in cold water for 30 seconds, three times, is the quickest way to treat heat stress after intense exercise. Of these four methods, only this one helped prevent the post-exercise temperature increase in these animals.

To teach a dog to dip its nose, veterinarians recommend throwing toys or treats into a container of water and encouraging the pet to retrieve them, encouraging each dive in. You should start training with a small amount of room temperature water, gradually increasing the amount as the dog gets used to the water.

The researchers suggested that if a dog with hyperthermia cannot be immersed in water with its entire body, another alternative first aid option could be to drink water and pour cold water on its head. However, the scientists cautioned that they had not tested this method and its effectiveness needed further validation.