AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin area is currently in the midst of a record-breaking heat wave. You may be thinking this heat is intense for you, but it can also be posting a threat to your pets.
While you may see your dog with so much energy one moment, with temperatures over 100 degrees expected all week, it won't take much for them to overheat.
Austin Bulldog Rescue is warning people about this. They said they've seen an increased number of dogs abandoned out in the heat.
Team members report that any dog, but specifically bulldogs, can become very vulnerable under these conditions.
A bulldog's distinctive snout doesn't allow them to regulate their body temperature as well as other dogs. This means that if they are left outside for too long, it could cost them their life.
Some signs of overheating include excessive panting, a blue or purple tongue and thirst.
"A cold washcloth on your neck, on your stomach, underneath their arms to kind of regulate those those hotter spots and immediately get them to the vet them so that, you know, the moment you start noticing those warning signs, just get them cooled off so that they're immediately safe, and get them to the vet," said Crystal Preston, Austin Bulldog Rescue secretary:
One popular way to help your dog cool down is taking them out to the lake. However, an algae sample taken from Red Bud Isle on May 30 has come back positive for the same toxin that has killed dogs in years past.
Next week, the City plans to treat the water at Red Bud Isle with a substance called Phoslock to reduce toxins in algae. In the meantime, the City is advising people to keep pets out of the lake.
As the heat continues, Austin Pets Alive! also needs your help getting 70 pets out of the heat and into homes before Sunday. That includes close to 40 parvovirus-survivor puppies.
All adoption fees are waved until the June 16. And if you're not ready to make the full commitment, you can foster too.
Visit APA!'s town lake location between noon and 6 p.m. Friday or Saturday to pick up a pet, no appointment required.
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