It's So Doggone Hot!

The intense heat has arrived with an Excessive Heat Watch, Heat Advisory and Air Quality Alert posted for North Haven. High humidity will make it feel like it’s well above 100 degrees through Friday night. And if you think you’re miserable, how do you think your dog feels?

Special consideration should be made for pets when faced with weather extremes, like the current heat wave, said Dr. James T. Wells, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at on Washington Avenue.

Dr. Wells suggests the following tips:

• Do not leave your dog in the car. If for some reason you must take them, and then you need to run an errand, leave the car running with the air conditioner on.

• Give your outside dog plenty of options to move around to find shade. Your dog may be in the shade to begin the day, but if on a short chain, there’s nowhere to go when the sun moves; your dog may end up in the strong sunshine during the worst heat of the day.

• Keep fresh water close. Make sure your dog has an endless supply of fresh water when they need it, and make sure they can reach it.

• Keep your dog relaxed. The most important tip is to keep your dog calm. Don’t let him get too worked up or excited. It doesn't matter if it's playing with the kids or barking at the mailman - this can lead to overheating in extreme heat, and that can snowball into a health emergency.