I have a 14 week old Boston Terrier, and just in case you don't know, they have those squished in noses that can make it difficult to breathe. He overheats pretty quickly and the high for today is 103 (ish). We have his puppy obedience class tonight at 6:00; the classes are held outside and there is NO shade. Should I take him to class today? He's been sick before due to the heat and I'm not sure what to do. Thanks in advance for your opinions, suggestions, etc.
2006-07-31 01:50:07 · 5 answers · asked by Spex 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
If you have any doubts, skip it. Any dog, but especially brachycephalic breeds like Boston Terriers, can die extremely quickly if they overheat. If he's overheated before, it's just not worth the risk. On top of the heat, not having any shade makes this situation really tough.
I've put up a few links below with what to look for to tell if your dog is too hot, and what to do if your dog does overheat. The short version is that some panting is okay, but excessive panting or signs of distress are cause for immediate concern.
If you do decide to go, bring plenty of water, not just for him to drink, but also to wet him down with. Keep him wet on his underbelly, the insides of his legs, and under his neck and chest, especially in the jugular region. Dogs can only sweat through their tongue, so keeping him damp in these areas aproximates the evaporative cooling process that would occur if they did sweat.
You're doing the right thing to question whether this is safe, because humans will often "tough it out" in situations that are dangerous for their dogs.
2006-07-31 04:47:17 · answer #1 · answered by FairlyErica 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If it is still very hot by the time the class is I personally would not take my pup. I wouldn't want my pup to get ill.
If you decide against taking him why don't you consider doing a bit of obedience training at your house and like that both of you will be out of the heat but will still get some training done.
2006-07-31 02:09:08 · answer #2 · answered by mel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take water for Fido and at 6:00 the sun would have gone down considerably. Ofcourse watch for any signs of stress in your dog. Otherwise he should be fine.
2006-07-31 01:52:51 · answer #3 · answered by Pinolera 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wait and see how the weaher is around 5 and then use that temp as a ref. to go by when chosing. If its too hot, dont bring him, you dont want to chance things getting worse and something bad happening.
2006-07-31 01:53:28 · answer #4 · answered by lacia2159 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO WAY should you take your dog to class. Why stress his little body like that, it's just not worth it and you also would be miserable.
2006-07-31 02:19:27 · answer #5 · answered by Chickypooh29 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋