Heat and smoky air has become a pair of summertime staples, and while the summer months are the most outdoor activity-laden, they are also the time of year when some major health concerns can crop up.
In many ways, dog health is similar to human health. The human respiratory system is similar to that of a dogs, so if smoky weather and poor air quality negatively affects the lungs of people, so to will it affect dogs.
Like humans, dogs with respiratory or cardiovascular health problems are more susceptible to falling ill when smoke gets in the air. Dog breeds with short noises, like Pugs and French Bulldogs, are more prone to emergency airway issues and overheating in the summer months.
“With the smoke, some pets aren’t especially bothered by it,” said Dr. Louise Corbeil, a veterinarian at the Cochrane Animal Clinic. Even with the increasing number of days with thick plumes of smoke in the air, Corbeil said doctors at the clinic haven’t seen a noticeable increase in emergency cases regarding respiratory issues.
Corbeil said the clinic doesn’t typically see a big influx of patients being admitted when the air quality is poor. Generally, she said, people know not to venture outside for too long or to engage in physically exhaustive activities when the air quality is bad, and that protective behaviour usually falls on pets as well.
“I don’t think it’s a message we need to get out to people in this area,” she said. What is still a major concern for pet health is when people leave their pets in their vehicles during the summer months. Even with a cracked window, the overwhelming heat trapped inside a parked car can have serious and life threatening consequences on dogs and other pets.
Corbeil said that people know not to leave their pets in cars during the summer, but it still happens. Pet health is no different than human health, and if kids shouldn’t be left in parked cars in the heat, neither should any pet.
“[We] don’t know how to eliminate that behaviour,” said Corbeil. “Dogs just can’t be left in cars during the summer.”
But that isn’t to say summer isn’t a busy time in the clinic. Vets at the Cochrane Animal Clinic treat a wide variety of emergency cases, and a lot of them are related to human activity.
When asked what is the primary cause for dogs and other pets being brought into the clinic on an emergency basis, Corbeil was quick to answer. Being hit by cars, she said. Dogs, either out for walks on leashes or running free without one tend to get struck by cars more often in the summer, when the weather is good and pet owners are more inclined to get their dogs out and about.
“Accidents are more prone to happen when you’re out doing things,” Corbeil said. But it’s not just cars causing emergency visits. Cases concerning accidental poisonings also become more common in the summer. Whether it be common household chemicals or toxins like antifreeze, which Corbeil said emits a sweet smell that dogs sometimes accidentally ingest, or from unsuspecting plants and flowers like Tiger Lilies, which can cause severe kidney failure in cats if the petals are licked.
“The summer is the time to get out with your pet and have fun,” said Corbeil. “It’s why people have pets, so take precaution.”
Per Dr. Corbeil, the best resource for information when or if your pet ingests poison is the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) animal poison control hotline: 888-426-4435. Alternatively, veterinarypartner.vin.com is also a widely accessible online resource for helpful information that Corbeil and the Cochrane Animal Clinic recommends.
