If you think this summer has been brutal, imagine how it feels for our pets, especially dogs. Whether cooped up in air-conditioned flats or kept in outdoor village compounds, dogs face severe physical and psychological strain during extreme weather.
“Dogs manage their body temperature by balancing internal heat from metabolism and exercise with external heat absorbed from their environment,” says veterinary surgeon Jacqueline Tong at Mid Levels Veterinary Centre on Hong Kong Island. “To prevent overheating, they primarily rely on evaporation through panting, such as evaporating moisture from their tongue, and sweating minimally through their paws.”
Dogs also cool down by conduction by making direct contact with cool surfaces, often lying on their bellies as blood vessels close to the skin dilate to shed heat, Tong says. When it gets extremely hot, airflow and shade are not enough. Dogs have to rely almost entirely on panting and lying on cool floors.