Preventing pet heatstroke in Japan

Earlier this month, fellow City-Cost blogger BigFamJapan posted a reminder about heatstroke and how deadly (but preventable) it can be. The reality of summers in Japan is that they can be brutally hot, and people at either end of life's spectrum (kids and the elderly) are most at risk.

It's also a good time to remember any furry friends you have in your household, and the risks of heatstroke that apply to them, too. The Netzero site (an organization promoting the goal of zero heatstroke deaths) is a good resource for tips on preventing heatstroke for both humans and animals, and their tips for animals are easy to implement.

First and foremost, the goal is to keep your pet out of hot environments. Their site mentions that dogs are often exposed to hotter temps than air temp because of their closeness to the ground (e.g. when you take them outside to do their business). Wherever possible, avoid the heat of the day to do this. We take our dog out in the morning before it heats up, and once the sun goes down, and only take him out during the middle of the day if he absolutely is showing signs he needs to go. If you have a grassy patch, that's much more preferable than pavement/roads.

A tip they recommend (and one that I have done for years and years) is to test the ground with your hand before you let your dogs paws walk on it. You'll see how hot it is, and if it's uncomfortable for you, it'll absolutely be uncomfortable for their paws and overall comfort level.

Hopefully it goes without saying, but don't leave your pet in a car when it's warm out. As I'm sure most of you are aware, cars heat up extremely quickly when they're left out in sunny areas, even on days that aren't particularly hot, and even with the windows cracked. 

They also recommend some "core cooling methods" for pets, including wrapping their torso area in a wet towel and fanning it. If you have your A/C below 26c or so it should be fine anyway, but just something to consider if you need a way to cool them off (and if your pet will tolerate the towel method!)