4 Summer Safety Tips for Diabetic Dogs!

While the summer poses threats of overheating for all dogs, diabetic dogs are especially susceptible to environmental elements since their bodies are unable to regulate insulin on their own. Below are a few tips to make sure your diabetic dog stays safe this summer.

Watch For Fatigue

Signs of fatigue can mean low sugar levels, overheating, or both. If you see signs that your dog is being unusually lethargic, make sure to get them a big bowl of water and check their blood glucose levels. If they don't show signs of improvement or are unwilling to drink water, take them immediately to a Veterinarian.

Limit Walks

Walks are great for both you and your dog, but if you live in a part of the U.S. or world with summer temperatures in the 90s or 100s, it's best to limit walks to 10-15 minutes at a time. The ideal time of day to walk your dog is in the early morning or early evening when the sun is not at its strongest. On your walks, make sure that you have water ready available for your dog, as well as a treat to keep up their sugar levels.

Never Leave Them In The Car

Though you may be tempted to leave your dog in the car while you race in a store for a quick errand, this is extremely dangerous since car temperatures can quickly rise 20-30 degrees in a matter of minutes, even with the window cracked. If you can't bring your dog into the store, tie them up outside in the shade and away from high-traffic areas.

Monitor Temperatures on the Ground

Our dogs are very tough creatures, but that doesn't mean their paws possess super-human strength to walk on hot coals. Whether on asphalt during a walk or out in your backyard, make sure that you are monitoring to make sure that your dogs paws aren't getting burned. A good test to see if the ground is safe for your dog is to put the back of your hand on the ground. If you can't hold it down for more than 4 seconds, it's too hot for your dog.

Have any other summer safety tips? Let us know!