Brachycephalic dog owners!! (all the flat faced cuties!)

[call2arms]

I don't know if everywhere in Canada and in the US is as disgustingly hot as it is here lately, but today was 111 farheneit with the humidity (44 celsius)... Gross!! It's been almost a week like this, and it's taking a toll on the furry friends!

I have no AC at home, and it's not uncommon for people here not to have one either. We have all 4 fans at full blast, and it's still making us melt. J is panting constantly, but faring ok, and Boulette is behaving like nothing's happening.

But the flat faced friends are having a harder time... At work we had a pekignese/pug cross who already had breathing issues who passed away at home, and a 4 year old Frenchie without AC, whose owners took very good care of (fans, ice in the water bowls, bathing in cool water regularly, didn't even go outside), also passed away from the heat today. It's just really, really sad, and unfair.

Be careful!!! A girl from work has 2 pugs and no A/C, she went home terrified tonight, not knowing anyome who she could sleepover that has A/C for her pups. She took a bunch of ice packs from work, and we tought of what to do.
Always have cold water available, add ice in it, give ice cubes to munch on...
If possible, bathe in cool water.
Put a cold soaked shirt on your dog, or add ice packs to a bed.
Rub foot pads with cold water, ice cubes, or rubbing alcohol (but that may sting a little) to help cooling off.
Obviously stay inside, avoid sun, exercise as less as possible.
Don't leave them in the car, at 77 farhenheit in the sun, it takes 5 minutes for a parked car to climb up to 95!!
In doubt of heat stroke, wrap your dog in a towel previously soaked in cold water, and run to the emergency!

If you can, have A/C in your home and avoid all this!

[BullyLady]

Good advice.

Shelby isn't terribly flat-faced, but she does struggle to breathe in the heat a little bit, so we leave the a/c in the dining room on all day and when it gets really hot we move her kennel from the kitchen into the dining room so she can be in an air conditioned room all day long. Probably she would be fine, but I'd hate for something to happen because I was blaze about it.

[pitbullmamaliz]

Inara's hardly bracycephalic but she HATES this weather. Just sprawls on the floor and refuses to move. I don't have AC so the house has been pretty miserable - to the point where I seriously thought about getting a hotel room for us if Inara didn't have such anxiety when left alone in them. Yesterday evening I would say it was seriously about 90 in the house (no AC, obviously). I have all the ceiling fans on high and a tall oscillating fan that moves from room to room with us. And she gets ice in her water bowl. I worry enough about her as it is - I can't imagine if she was flat-faced.

[PetieMarie22]

My friend that is a vet at an animal emergency center was JUST talk about this on Facebook!
My spoiled dog is in our bedroom with the A/C all day, so she's fine.
I feel bad about my cats though, I keep finding them sprawled out on the tile floor or pressed up against the wall in awkward positions. I put fans on but I never see them in front of them! They seem to be dealing with it in their own way. No behavior that has really made me really worry.

[HappyChick]

Thanks for posting this! I'll pass the information on to my friends with flat faced dogs.

As much as I hate Walmart, here is a link to their air conditioners for those who don't have air:

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng ... &Find=Find

They have small, one room models for a little over $100 that shouldn't need more than a three prong outlet to plug into. I have a small one in my bedroom and it cools the room pretty well.

[BigDogBuford]

I'm very careful with the Boxer goobers (Minnie & Patrick) when it's this hot. Fortunately I finally put my foot down and demanded an AC last year when it was 104 degrees. Now the house is icy cool and pleasant even on the hottest days.

[BullyLady]

I'm very careful with the Boxer goobers (Minnie & Patrick) when it's this hot. Fortunately I finally put my foot down and demanded an AC last year when it was 104 degrees. Now the house is icy cool and pleasant even on the hottest days.

Luckeeeeeee, I WANT central air!

My cats do the same thing, all sprawled out on the hardwoods and in the bathroom. We have a/cs in the windows of some rooms, but they continue to sprawl out and look all undignified.

[madremissy]

Even though my flat faced Sammy would lay out in the sun with Kinzyl as long as she did, I have made him stay inside. It is just too hot here for him. He even got his haircut yesterday and I am still not letting him in the heat.

[PetieMarie22]

My cats do the same thing, all sprawled out on the hardwoods and in the bathroom. We have a/cs in the windows of some rooms, but they continue to sprawl out and look all undignified.

Does your cat kinda look like this??

[airwalk]

Yep the A/C runs all day while we are at work...so the dogs can stay cool!

[BullyLady]

My cats do the same thing, all sprawled out on the hardwoods and in the bathroom. We have a/cs in the windows of some rooms, but they continue to sprawl out and look all undignified.

Does your cat kinda look like this??

ROFL

Yes!!!

I love how cats can have one half of their body going one direction and the other in a whole other direction.....

[WackyJacki]

This weather definitely sucks for the brachys. Thankfully Fiona (Boston) isn't too flat faced and handles it quite well.

We do have AC though, thank God!!

They sell cooling vests and blankets which might be worth looking into:

http://www.ruffwear.com/Swamp-Cooler-Do ... -Ruff-Wear