STROUDSBURG, Pa. — If you're feeling the heat on a day like this, just think about how your furry friend may feel. Pets can suffer in the summer heat.
Stroudsburgs's Awsom vet tech Jennifer Karvetski said pets average a body temperature of 101 to 102.5.
"They are going to get hotter faster so they hit that heat stroke level quicker than we do. Because they're starting at a higher body temperature," Karvetski said.
She said on hot days, the dogs at the Awsom animal shelter don't stay out past noon. Employees at Awsom said there are a couple things pet owners need to think about if they're taking their dog out in the hot weather.
"Take them for walks in the woods, take them on trails, take them in the early morning, take them in the late evening when it's cooler for them, not in the middle of the day. Keep them off of asphalt and the concrete," Karvetski said.
Karvetski said just like humans, dogs can suffer heat strokes, especially if they have a medical condition.
"If you have a northern breed with a heavy coat or you have a pet that has a heart condition, breathing issues, asthma, you do not want to leave them out of air conditioning for long at all. You give them short stints and you put them back in," she said.
Shelter employees said if pet owners are without air conditioning or their dogs are overheating, kiddie pools, cooling mats, or a cold towel will work to cool them down.
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