Pet owners need to keep some things in mind, with the arrival of hot, muggy weather in Wisconsin. Dr. Yvonne Bellay, a veterinarian with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, reminds us that dogs don't perspire the way humans do. “They have to respire and get rid of heat through their panting, and you can see how much the panting will increase as the temperature increases,” Bellay says. “There can reach a point where the dog just cannot get rid of enough heat by doing that, and that's where the problems set in.”
Bellay says dogs, and cats too, need to be accommodated in the warm weather, by being kept in a cool, shady location (basements are ideal) with access to water at all times. Two things to not do on a hot day: don't take your pet in the car with you, and no matter how much your dog may want to, exercise is also a bad idea in the heat.