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Someone wanted to spray the dog down at the pool because he was panting heavily last week in the heat
The owner took an ice bag and held it against the dog and told the person not to spray the dog with water because dogs lose heat through their body and water would block the pores that release the heat
I have no clue if this is correct but the dog didn't seem to mind water sprayed on him
 
allen levine said:
Someone wanted to spray the dog down at the pool because he was panting heavily last week in the heat
The owner took an ice bag and held it against the dog and told the person not to spray the dog with water because dogs lose heat through their body and water would block the pores that release the heat
I have no clue if this is correct but the dog didn't seem to mind water sprayed on him
Click to expand...
Both the owner and the the dog sprayer were incorrect. Dogs lose most of their body heat through panting. They also lose it through the pads of their paws, which is the only place where they have sweat glands. Still, on a hot day spraying them with water will cool them off, mostly because they'll be standing in cool water.
 
allen levine said:
Someone wanted to spray the dog down at the pool because he was panting heavily last week in the heat
The owner took an ice bag and held it against the dog and told the person not to spray the dog with water because dogs lose heat through their body and water would block the pores that release the heat
I have no clue if this is correct but the dog didn't seem to mind water sprayed on him
Click to expand...
Had a dog that had a heatstroke and we took her to the vet after we cooled her down by wrapping her in wet towels.

I agree with Vaughn about how dogs lose heat. However I was taught by a vet that you SHOULD spray a dog down if they are overheated and having issues. He said use regular tap water and spray their belly, underarms and paws because those are the primary areas where they lose heat. If you have ever noticed on a hot day dogs, if they have one available, will go stand in the water of a pond or lake up to their bellies which just so happens to allow the water to reach those areas. They never seem to go deeper unless they are actively taking a swim. They ain't dumb and can do a pretty good job of taking care of themselves if they are in an environment that allows them to do so. My dogs seemed to prefer cool damp earth and would dig a shallow hole under shrubbery in the shade and when they laid in it their bellies and extremities were against that cooler earth.

The worst place you can walk your dog is on asphalt or concrete. The actual contact of those surfaces can burn the pads on their feet and the heat radiating from them reaches those cooling patches under their torso.

My little Cairn terrier loved to stand in the ponds near my house and usually would take a good long sit in the water. Of course with her long fur she stood up streaming algae, frog eggs and whatever slime had formed around the edge of the pond because her legs were only 4 or 5 inches long. Usually meant I had to hose her off when we got back to the house to clean that mess up. She was totally oblivious to the mess she made of her fur coat.

Taffy 1987 (Custom).jpg Sure miss that little dog.... :cry:

How Dogs Lose Heat:
  • Panting: Their primary cooling mechanism. As a dog pants, moisture evaporates from their tongue and lungs, which cools the circulating blood.
  • Vasodilation: Blood vessels in their skin expand to push warm blood closer to the body's surface, allowing heat to escape into the air.
  • Convection and Radiation: Heat radiates off their bodies and transfers into cooler air flowing over their skin or through contact with colder surfaces.
  • Conduction: Dogs can cool down by lying flat on cold surfaces, like a tiled floor or cool grass.
What to Watch For:
Because they lack sweat glands across their body (they only have them on their paw pads and noses), they can overheat quickly. To prevent dangerous conditions like heatstroke, you can assist in their heat loss by moving them to the shade and applying cool (not freezing) water to their belly, paws, and underarms.
 
Mike said: "The worst place you can walk your dog is on asphalt or concrete."

Yesterday it was 99° here. I used a laser thermometer to measure my asphalt driveway - 156°! The concrete sidewalk was 'only' 128°.

We try to keep the dog confined to the grass in the back yard, but she'll still trot across the driveway like it isn't even there. I can't imagine doing that, but she seems oblivious to the heat. Vet says some dogs don't seem to feel it, but the heat will still affect her.

We don't let her stay out more than a few minutes at a time.
 
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