Vet Issues Warning After Treating Dogs For Severely Burned Paws

When the summer sun’s rays hit the earth it warms our skin. The mercury on the thermometer increases and it gets hot outside. As a result, walking barefoot on a sidewalk, black pavement or even sand can be unbearable. For our pups, the results can be even more severe. Unfortunately, one Washington family learned this the hard way.

Painful Consequences

A Golden Retriever experienced severe burns on his paws after walking on hot pavement in Washington state. According to the Medical Lake Veterinary Hospital’s Facebook page, a dog named Olaf received a serious injury while walking on a trail with his human.

The post said:

Olaf walked over a mile on the Fish Trap Trail before his owner realized his pads were burned, and even then he wasn’t whining or limping! He is one tough cookie (and exceptionally sweet cookie).

CBS Austin reported Olaf’s burns were so bad they exposed raw muscle. The paw pads completely burned off. Apparently, Olaf’s human did not notice anything was wrong until they saw bloody paw prints on the trail.

Luckily, Olaf will recover from his burns. But he needs daily treatment on his paws.

Let this be a lesson for us all. Warm temperatures impact dogs, too!

Humans Must Protect Their Pups

The hot pavement is only one concern for people with dogs. Remember: dogs can suffer from other-temperature related illnesses too.

What is too hot for your dog? The Medical Lake Veterinary Hospital offers this suggestion to determine what is safe for your canine:

A good rule of thumb is if the pavement is too hot for your hand it’s too hot for your dogs’ pads.

The doctors at Vets Now also suggest the seven-second rule: put the back of your hand on the pavement or concrete for seven seconds. If you struggle to keep it in place, it’s too hot to walk a dog.

If the temperatures are extremely warm during the day, you can walk your dog during the early morning or late evening when the pavement is cooler. Alternatively, take your dog for walks on grass or gravel instead of hot pavement.

Cold temperatures aren’t the only danger to our pups. Warm conditions cause threats to your dog’s safety, too. If you are sweating by simply stepping out, your dog also feels the heat. Remember to test the pavement and, of course, offer cool water to your pup when you return inside!

H/T WSVN
Featured image: Medical Lake Veterinary Hospital Facebook page