Is my dog overheating?

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for sending the picture of Max! He is so gorgeous!

It's really unlikely that Max will overheat unless there are extreme circumstances.

It's hard to tell if he is overheating but a few signs would include:

-lots of panting
-lack of appetite
-really lethargic

If you think Max is warm the best thing you can do is to make sure he has water available all the time. A fan is a great idea, but I've found that often a dog will choose to move away from a fan. So, if he likes it then, sure, go for it, but he may not like it though.

Ice cubes are a great idea as well. You can give him several to chew on and they make great toys as well.

Another thing that dogs like when they are cold is access to a cold floor. If you have a basement with a concrete floor, dogs like to lie spread eagle on a floor like this to cool themselves down.

You'll hear different theories on whether or not you should shave a dog to help cool them down. Personally I don't recommend it for a dog unless you are having trouble keeping his coat from matting.

Hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.

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