It’s not the heat it’s the humidity. Well for dogs it’s both. Dogs overheat much more quickly than humans. Dogs are not able to sweat and can only cool themselves by panting to blow off heat. This is much less effective than sweating. Even if you are comfortable your dog may well be hot. Never leave your dog in a parked car even for a few minutes. Heat builds very quickly in a car, for example on an 80-degree day the temperature in a parked car can reach 120-degrees in 10 minutes. Leaving the windows cracked helps very little. Outside dogs need shade, ventilation and clean fresh water. A wading pool under a nice tree on a summer’s day sounds like a great way to spend the afternoon and your dog will feel the same way. Safety first when it comes to playing in the summer sun. Be sure to watch those dogs with pink noses, you don’t want to see them turn into Rudolf this time of year. For more info on signs and treatment of heat stroke in dogs visit the Veterinary Articles page on our web site.