Why You Should Pay Special Attention To Your Dog’s Paws In Summer

Every year, it’s easy to forget just how hot it gets in Las Vegas, and every year the temperatures rise, we’re back to 100+ degree weather, making us wish for those fall numbers. As humans, we simply throw on cooler clothes and crank the air conditioning to regulate our systems, but our pets don’t have that same luxury. While their coats are meant to help them regulate, they can also get much warmer than we do much more quickly. What feels like a pleasant 77-degree day to us could cause them to suffer from heatstroke. So when it comes to going on walks, it’s important to stop and consider how hot the ground is on their paws.

Hot Surfaces

No matter what the temperature reads on your phone, asphalt and concrete are about 20-30 degrees warmer than that, and they absorb heat throughout the day.

As your pet walks on these surfaces, they can burn their paws and injure the pads. It’s easy to forget that these tough-toe beans are still skin, especially after they’ve blackened and calloused over, but their paws are still incredibly sensitive. Left too long on hot pavement, they can incur serious injuries and burns that could even result in a vet visit.

Puppy Paws

If you have a puppy or a young dog, it’s even more important to avoid taking them outside without booties or socks, preferably something that has a solid barrier between their pads and the ground. However, while baby paws haven’t quite hardened as much as adult paws, you should still use protection on older pets, too.

The best rule of thumb is to place your hand on the ground when you go outside and determine if it’s too hot by counting seven to ten seconds. If you can’t keep your hand on the pavement for that long, it’s too hot for your pup’s paws, too.

Tips for Walking

Mornings and evenings are certainly cooler in Las Vegas, but the ground can still retain heat, so check at any time of day. You can find dog booties at Brick and Mortar stores like PetSmart and Petco, or local dog supply shops around town. You can also order some from Amazon, just make sure to measure your dog’s paws to get the correct size. Sometimes telling your pup “no” is harder than avoiding that late-night snack, so if they do bound outside or happen to burn their paw pads, help them heal by trying to keep them off their feet as much as possible for a few days. Apply paw ointment to help the process, and if they don’t seem better after a couple of days, take them to your vet.