MIDLAND, Texas — Whenever you’re out with your dog on a hot day, any good owner should remember that dogs need things like water to drink and maybe some shade to cool off under.
But you must also keep in mind that your buddy isn’t wearing shoes most of the time like you.
“The ground can be 10 to 20 degrees hotter than it is outside. So if it’s 90 degrees outside it can be 100 or 110 on the floor. So we need to be really careful with dogs.” said Katlyn Walthall, director of community outreach and fundraising at Fix West Texas.
This can have severe consequences on your dog’s paws and potentially lead to further issues.
“It can get red, it can get blistered, it can go raw basically so it can cause a lot of medical issues if that happens. Basically, it can cause severe burns.” Walthall continued.
Walthall says the best times to walk dogs in a hot climate is in the morning or the evening since that’s when the sun and heat isn’t as harsh.
What makes you uncomfortable on walks on a hot day might be the same for your dog.
“I think people need to realize that unfortunately can’t tennis shoes or don’t as much as humans do. So we need to be cognizant and watch out for their best interests.” Walthall added.
Walthall also says that smaller dogs generally can't sty out in the heat as long as bigger dogs.
So keep this in mind as well.