Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Dog Days of Summer





Ever wonder where the term “Dog Days of Summer” came from?  This came from the ancient Roman & Greek belief that Sirius aka “The Dogs Star” was the cause of hot weather.    Sirius is the brightest star in the sky and is part of the constellation Canis Major.  It was thought that because it was so bright that it must give off heat like the sun.   In Ancient Rome during the “Dog Days of Summer”, Sirius rose and set in the sky with the sun so that assumption was that it was adding to the heat of the day.  This of course was is not the case and in fact no longer coincides with the sun rising and setting.
A couple quick simple things to remember on those hot days to keep your dog safe:

1.       Do NOT leave your dog in a hot car.  Temperatures rise quickly and are dangerous to your pup, if not deadly.  On an 85 degree day it only takes 10 minutes for the temperature in your car to reach 102 degrees.

2.       Keep your dog hydrated – make sure that there is fresh water available to your dog at all times and watch for signs of dehydration.

3.       Watch for signs of dehydration

4.       Walk your dogs in the early morning or evening after the sun has gone down.  The hot asphalt can burn the pads on their paws.  If it is too hot for you to walk barefoot – it is too hot for them!

5.       If your dog is outside – make sure that there is plenty of shade or shelter so that they can escape the sun.

6.       The heat is a great opportunity for your dog to going swimming.  Always be sure to provide supervision to prevent injury.





Credit: 


http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/hot-weather-tips.aspx

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