How to Keep Your Bull Terriers Safe During Summer

Your Bull Terrier probably enjoys the beautiful summer weather just as much as you do. Unfortunately, your Bull Terrier's chance of developing a heat-related illness or injury rises with the temperature.

1. Limit Outdoor Time on Hot, Humid Days

Heat and humidity levels affect your Bull Terrier's health and comfort. While some Bull Terriers tolerate heat and humidity well, others can quickly become overheated. Reduce the risk of heatstroke by restricting outdoor play time to the cooler morning or evening hours.

If there's an excessive heat warning for your area, don't let your Bull Terrier spend hours outside in the hot sun. Your Bull Terrier will be much comfortable indoors where heat and humidity can be controlled by air-conditioning and fans.

When your Bull Terrier does spend time outdoors, provide plenty of fresh, cool water and a shady, well-ventilated resting place.

Puppies, older dogs, or the ones with health issue might be more affected by heat and humidity and may experience heat exhaustion or heatstroke symptoms sooner than other.

2. Monitor your Bull Terrier carefully for signs of heatstroke. They include:

· Heavy Panting

· Rapid Heart Rate

· Weakness

· Dizziness

· Dry Nose

· Sunken Eyes

· Lack of Coordination

· Change in Tongue Color

· Drooling

· Vomiting or Diarrhea

Bring your Bull Terrier inside immediately if you notice these symptoms. Use a washcloth soaked in cool, not cold, water to ease heatstroke symptoms, and call your veterinarian immediately.

3. Protect Your Bull Terrier's Paws

Concrete, sand, asphalt, wood, and metal surfaces become unbearably hot after just a few hours of direct sun exposure. If you wouldn't walk barefoot on these surfaces, your Bull Terrier shouldn't either.

Burns to the paw pads can occur after just a few seconds. If your Bullie normally spends time outdoors on potentially hot surfaces, avoid middle-of-the-day walks or outdoor play sessions.

The surfaces will likely be much cooler early in the morning or in the evening. Your Bull Terrier may find it more comfortable to walk on grassy areas when paved or wooden walkways become too hot.

4. Follow Car Safety Recommendations

Does your Bull Terrier look forward to car rides to the local dog park?

Door handles, dashboards and even seatbelts can also burn your Bullie. Seatbelt buckles can register even whooping temperatures of 130 degrees during examination of summer temperature hazards. Prevent burns by turning on the air-conditioning a few minutes before you plan to leave and place a blanket over seats and seatbelt buckles.

Never leave your Bull Terrier in a car, even with the windows open. On a 70-degree day, temperatures inside a vehicle can increase to 89 degrees after 10 minutes and soar to 104 degrees after 30 minutes, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. When the outside temperature is 80, those figures increase to 104 degrees after 10 minutes and 119 after 30 minutes.

5. Examine Your Bull Terrier's Paws After Trips Outside

Paw pad inspections are a must after your Bull Terrier has been outside during the summer. Look for burns or cuts on the surface of the paw pads, then check for small sticks and stones, debris, thorns, or small pieces of glass that may be trapped between your Bullie's toes.

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References:

1. Kansas City Star: How Hot Is That Surface? We Measured Pavement, Steering Wheels, Slides and More, 7/21/17

2. American Veterinary Medical Association: Estimated Vehicle Interior Air Temperature v. Elapsed Time

3. WebMD: Top 10 Paw Care Tips for Dogs

4. Pet Life Today: The Best Dog Paw Protectors (2020 Reviews), 2/4/20

5. Cattime.com: 5 Ways to Keep Your Outdoor Cat’s Paws Safe from Hot Pavement