How to Keep Your Dog Cool in the Summer Heat

Let’s be honest, we’re all praying for the sun to make an appearance this summer. However, while ...

Let’s be honest, we’re all praying for the sun to make an appearance this summer. However, while we’re enjoying the sun, we need to make sure our pups are happy and safe. Like humans, dogs can also suffer from heatstroke. Unlike us, they cannot sweat through their skin so they rely on panting and losing heat from their paw pads, ears and nose to regulate their body temperature. So let’s dive into how to take care of your pup in the warmer weather.


Signs of heatstroke

Before we take a look at how to keep your dog cool, it’s also important to spot the signs of heatstroke to you can contact your vet and get your pup the help they need. Common signs include…

  • Heavy panting 
  • Dribbling 
  • Trouble standing 
  • Bright red gums
  • Collapse

If your pup has symptoms of heatstroke, move them to a cool place, wet their coat with cool (not freezing) water and contact your vet immediately. 


Ways to keep your dog cool

Like most things, prevention is the best cure. When you see those temperatures creeping up, it’s important to keep your dog cool. Here are a few tips to help you out…

  • Shaded spots - Make sure your dog has shaded areas, away from direct sunlight for them to lounge in.
  • Plenty of water - Encourage your dog to stay hydrated by placing bowls of fresh, cool water around your home and garden. If you do go on a walk take a bottle with you!
  • Time your walks - On hot days take your pup for a walk either in the evening or morning to avoid the warmest parts of the day. It may also be a good idea to keep walks sorter on hot days.
  • Cool treats - Make tasty treats to keep your dog cool! Ice cubes with your pup's favourite food inside or freezing a Kong with treats is a great way to do this. OMNI is the perfect addition to your pup's Kong as it’s healthy and delicious.
  • Paddling pool - If your dog loves the water fill a paddling pool with water. Make sure to keep an eye on your doggo when they’re playing to make sure that they are safe.
  • Cooling mat or damp towel - These are great to place around your home and garden for your doggo to lounge on.
  • Grooming - Loose fur acts as insulation so a daily brush will help to keep your dog cool.

Here for you

You may have noticed that in warm weather your pup eats less. Don’t worry this is totally normal! When they are ready for a tasty meal OMNI is a great healthy dog food that tastes good. You may even experience some of these reported benefits of plant-based dog food…

  • More energy
  • Better toilets
  • More shiny coat 
  • Better breathe

Get your OMNI delivered straight to your door with our subscription! You’ll also get a bespoke 6-month health plan for your pup and a monthly call with our expert vet team to dive into this further. Keep your dog happy and healthy this summer with OMNI.

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Click Here To Try Omni Vet Formulated Food & Treats

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FAQs

But aren’t dog’s carnivores?

Dogs are in fact nutritional omnivores as demonstrated by a robust scientific study published in the reputable journal Nature (1,2) in which it was shown that they have 30 copies of the AMY2B gene responsible for digesting plant-based foods.

They have also evolved relatively long intestines (21) (almost as long as humans) and relatively flat surfaces on their molars (31, 22) which they use for digesting and chewing a whole range of foods.

The common misconception that dogs are carnivores probably arises from the fact that they are classified in the order Carnivora but so are plenty of other species like bears, skunks, racoons who are omnivores and even the giant panda who thrives on a plant-based diet (20).

Is plant protein digestible to dogs?

Absolutely yes, studies which have looked at how much protein dogs can absorb from plant-based and fungi-based foods like soya and yeast demonstrated over 75% digestibility which is on par with meat-based foods (23, 24, 34, 35 & 25).

Both these protein sources also contain all 10 essential amino acids (36, 37) that dogs need to thrive.

Isn't there too much fibre in plant-based food?

The average amount of fibre in a commercial dog food diet is between 2-4%. omni’s plant-powered recipe has a fibre content of 3% which is on par with meat- based diets.

In our survey with over 200 dog owners, 100% reported that their dog’s stool consistency was either ‘normal’ or ‘perfect’ and there were no reports of any digestive upsets (data on file).

Can I mix omni with other meat-based diets?

We are proud that our recipes are nutritionally complete and so include everything your dog needs to thrive. This means omni can be fed as a sole ration. We also fully support a 'flexitarian approach' like meat free lunches or using omni as a mixer.

Every little helps to bring some of the health and environmental benefits of plant-power to meal times. Mixing omni with meat/fish will help to add variety into your dog’s diet whilst adding in healthy ingredients with a relatively low carbon footprint.

Can plant-based food provide the essential fatty acids dogs need?

All the essential fats and oils that dogs need, including omegas 3 and 6 are found in a variety of both meat and plant-based foods (31, 28).

omni’s recipe is rich in plant-based sources of these nutrients so your dog will get all the essentials they need.

I hear a lot about feeding raw meat, isn’t that better?

Feeding raw meat to dogs has become a very popular trend in recent years, but most vets will warn against this practise. This is because the cooking process is vital to help kill off dangerous bacteria like E coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter (9) that have necessitated several food recalls from the market and caused serious illness and even death in both dogs and their owners (40, 41, & 42).

There are also several worms and parasites that are only killed off when raw meat is cooked. Dogs are dogs, not wolves and thanks to their domestication over thousands of years, thankfully don’t need to hunt to get their grub nor do they need to eat raw meat, it's just not worth the risk.

References

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