Dogs are animals that want to run around and play when they go out on the street or to the park, which is why it is important to pay attention, on these hot days, to the most appropriate times for them. Gloria Velasco, a dog-owning resident of Las Lagunas, told us that "we try to go out quite late, around half past seven or eight in the evening, and we are here in the park until eleven or twelve o'clock at night. If we have to come early, we get them wet. In the end, we have to take them out very early and very late because at midday it's impossible because they burn their paws on the asphalt".

We consulted veterinarian Rebeca Peñalver, manager of the Agua Veterinary Clinic, in Las Lagunas, and she corroborated that the outings should be at the times mentioned by this neighbour, as "asphalt at extreme temperatures can cause first-degree burns in the animals", she added.

Hydration of our pets is essential for their health, especially during the summer season.

Another aspect to bear in mind is hydration. The vet added that although "they don't sweat like us, they perspire through their mouths, their panting is the same as our sweat, so when they pant more they lose more fluids and you have to replace them. There are even supplements for animals, just as there are for us. As for food, Peñalver tells us "they should not eat during the hot hours because digestion can be heavier". 

If we take them to the beach, don't forget to protect them, as "they also need sun cream, especially white animals because they get burnt, so we advise using sun cream specifically meant for dogs so that if they lick it off it won't cause them any digestive problems".

Heat stroke

If, in the worst case scenario, we observe that our pet is suffering from heat stroke, the professional advises us to "never put them in very cold water because the change from high temperature to cold can cause shock. What we can do is wet them with luke warm water to cool them down".

By following all this advice, we can attempt to make the hottest days of the summer as easy as possible for our pets, but if we have any doubts that could endanger their lives, we should go to our trusted vet to receive the right advice.

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