Chihuahuas and the Heat

Chihuahuas love warmth. Nothing better than a nice sunny day where they can lay in the sunshine; if not outside, they will lay in the sunshine coming through the windowpane. However, we need to remember that heat can also be detrimental or even kill our little dogs.

Every year we see the memes on Facebook reminding dog owners not to leave their dogs in their car in the summer. Even if air conditioning is left on, it may not keep up in a parked car. Some people do not realize that this is a danger that can affect your dog in only a few minutes; a run into a convenience store could be deadly in summer heat. RV'ers often have the temperature alarms that alert their phone, but those are not foolproof and can fail. Dogs left in an RV should still have frequent check-ins to make sure the alarm - and the ac - are still working.

I think many people do not realize that being outside in the yard can be just as deadly. Even with water provided, your dog can just get too hot in the heat of the day. I saw a post the other day where temperature was being measured inside a dog house outside and it was still over 100 degrees in the shade. In addition to providing water (which is just an absolute must), when you get hot your dog should also come in. Some dogs enjoy a baby pool to dip into when they get too warm or just because they enjoy water.

Did you realize that wrapping your dog in a blanket can actually cause seizures? It seems very natural to wrap a sick dog in a blanket and hold them in your arms like a baby, but the heat of the blanket can actually cause the dog to have issues. We found this out from our vet when Snowball was a baby. If your dog likes to snuggle into a blanket on his own, that is fine but do not wrap him in a blanket and hold him there where he can't get out.

Dogs love enjoying the summer with us. Take precautions with your dog to make sure the fun continues and does not turn to tragedy.