Is it safe for my Boston Terrier to stay outside long in hot weather?

Hi! Dogs should not be left outside for more than an hour, but that is subjective. There is no specific time, it varies from dog breed and temperature. A dog outside is hot weather should be supervised and watched for signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. These would be panting excessively, collapsing or lethargy, or an elevated rectal temperature. If you and unsure about how hot your dog is getting you can take her temperature but inserting a thermometer about one inch into her rectum. A normal temperature is between 99.5-102.5. If she is getting over 103, she has been out for too long and her time outside should be shorter. Also, some dogs with smushed in faces cannot tolerate the heat well at all, so a few minutes outside being active can cause heat exhaustion. Always make sure they have access to cool fresh water at all times. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Keeping fans on to circulate the air and providing plenty of water are great ways to help keep Scout and Benny as cool as possible. I recommend opening any windows as well so that any breezes can help circulate air too. If you do these things, they should be safe to keep in the house in temperatures up to about 90 degrees. I would not play with them or exercise them in this heat as this can cause them to overheat. As a reminder, pets cannot sweat so they have to cool off by panting. If you think either of them are too hot, you can lay cool/wet towels over them and place them in front of a fan to try to actively cool them off. I would monitor them closely for excessive panting, especially if they are laying down and panting for prolonged periods. You can also examine their gum color and if it appears bright red, this can be a sign of heat exhaustion. If you see any of these signs, I would recommend having them evaluated by a veterinarian who can address their potential heat stroke. I hope this is helpful!

Absolutely, in fact I would advise doing this to minimise the risk of heatstroke. Heatstroke is a life threatening emergency andany dog experiencing it should be taken to see a veterinarian immediately. Signs of heatstroke include; •shade seeking •difficulty breathing •panting •bright red tongue •weakness •depression •vomiting or diarrhoea •coma •shock With Heatstroke cases the sooner a dog is seen the better the outcome. The vet will cool the dog down, provide shock doses of fluid therapy, provide oxygen, and treat complications such as kidney failure. I hope that this answer is helpful!

Hello. There is a very wide range of effects that can happen when a pet over heats. Mild effects may just be heavy panting that resolves within 10-15 minutes after getting into a cool environment. Severe overheating, called heat stroke, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, aspiration pneumonia, tissue damage, organ failure, brain damage & death. Watch your dog carefully in the heat, make sure there is plenty of water to drink ( & is non-spillable ) & cool down in ( a kiddie pool ) , plenty of shade, cool dirt to dig in, & never tether or tie a dog out where they can wrap themselves around something. A dog can overheat in as little as 10-15 minutes, so try to never leave a dog outside on very hot days in the afternoon if no one is home to watch. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You will need to make sure Shiro is kept indoors during the day in the air conditioning or with a fan. Do not let him stay outside. Make sure he always has cool water to drink. Walk him early in the morning and later in the evening when it's cooler. I hope this helps!

Bailey is very cute! Yorkies love being with their humans, so if you enjoy being outside, she will enjoy being with you. Make sure she is up to date on her flea and tick treatments, as well as heartworm, and you are right not to keep her in the sun for too long. Also make sure she has plenty of cool water when outside, and do not take her outside when it's really hot. If you can't hold the back of your hand on the sidewalk for five seconds, it's too hot for her to be outside. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Goodness! I think that you should shorten the walks or only walk him in the early morning or evening when it is cooler out. His breed (or any smooshed faced) breed can have significant problems breathing, especially on hot, humid days. If he is coughing and/or vomiting after a walk that is serious and may be a sign of heat stroke. You may want to discuss airway surgery with your Vet: stenotic nares, over long soft palpate and everted saccules. Dogs of his breed that have significant breathing abnormalities may benefit from surgery. Also keeping him thin and lean helps with their airway problems. Otherwise, hose him down with cold water and put him in front of a fan. I wish you and King Midas the best!