Bulldog Temperature Help

[NellyBelly]

It's getting warmer out and I am wondering about overheating. What is too hot? I was thinking 75 and higher, but am not sure what the threshold is. Today it is 81 and varies between sunny and partly cloudy. We have the windows open, but should we have the AC on? What about walks? Also, we plan to take our bully to the cabin before it gets too hot. There is no AC at the cabin. What would be too hot at that point? We were planning on wetting her and providing a lot of water during the trip and keeping her in the shade. We also were planning on letting her splash in the shallow water. Thanks!

 

[Davidh]

I would say anything over 80 to 85 F. in the shade is too hot, depending on the humidity. If you want to walk them in the summer, do it early morning or late evening and go for short walks. There are cool collars and cool cloths to put on their backs to help cool them off. 75 F. in the sun is too hot for them, so make sure they stay in the shade and a fan helps.

 

[cali baker]

I usually keep my house at a cool 74 degrees during the summer while they're home all day, alone. You want to monitor for signs of heat exhaustion in your bully too---excessive panting comes to mind, for instance. So if it's 81 degrees and you have the windows open and Penelope looks comfortable and isn't acting oddly then she's probably okay and you don't need to turn the AC on.
I think your plans at the cabin sound fine; can you bring an electric fan just in case?

 

[NellyBelly]

Thanks for the advice. We did watch her and she seemed fine today. So above 80 is too hot and below (75ish) and not in the sun is fine. Got it. Yes, we have fans at the cabin and can bring more.

 

[Vikinggirl]

It's getting warmer out and I am wondering about overheating. What is too hot? I was thinking 75 and higher, but am not sure what the threshold is. Today it is 81 and varies between sunny and partly cloudy. We have the windows open, but should we have the AC on? What about walks? Also, we plan to take our bully to the cabin before it gets too hot. There is no AC at the cabin. What would be too hot at that point? We were planning on wetting her and providing a lot of water during the trip and keeping her in the shade. We also were planning on letting her splash in the shallow water. Thanks!

Hi, you've been given great advice already. We put the AC on at the end of May, and I also have a fan in case they need it.
We only let them out for short potty breaks during the day when it's hot, and take them on longer walks early in the morning or after dinner in the evenings when it's cooled down. Anything over 68 to 70 degrees is too warm for a Bully.
Other ways you can keep her cool is make sure she always has cold fresh water, you can use ice cubes and you can also give her ice cubes, you can use a baby pool and make sure she is in the shade. Always supervise her when she is outside and limit her time that she is out in the heat to no more than 20 minutes at a time.

 

[Vikinggirl]

It's getting warmer out and I am wondering about overheating. What is too hot? I was thinking 75 and higher, but am not sure what the threshold is. Today it is 81 and varies between sunny and partly cloudy. We have the windows open, but should we have the AC on? What about walks? Also, we plan to take our bully to the cabin before it gets too hot. There is no AC at the cabin. What would be too hot at that point? We were planning on wetting her and providing a lot of water during the trip and keeping her in the shade. We also were planning on letting her splash in the shallow water. Thanks!

How to Keep Your Bulldog Cool in the Summer



Ways to keep your bulldog cool in the summer.Every bulldog is a potential victim of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, especially during summer or during the hot dry months of the year. Dogs that have shorter breathing systems like Bulldogs and Pugs are at a much greater risk and are highly susceptible when it comes to heat strokes. The shorter the airway means the lesser possibility of cooling the air which dogs inhale into their bodies. Dogs, of course do not sweat and their only means of reducing built-up body heat is by panting. Heat strokes and excessive heat exhaustion among pets, if left unattended may lead to their eminent death. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include excessive panting, vomiting reddening of the skin inside of the ears while heat strokes are indicated by weakness, staggering, fainting or loss of consciousness. Veterinarians have warned pet owners to be extra careful in handling their pets especially during the hot dry months.
Therefore it is important for dog owners, especially those who own dogs which are highly susceptible to heat strokes, to know the simple ABC’s in keeping their dog cool and safe during the hot summer.

1. Never ever leave your pet dog in a car especially on warm days. A car parked under the heat of the scorching sun can reach to sweltering temperature, therefore raising the risk of the dog left inside to catching heat stroke and dehydration. Both very young and very old dogs are at risk for heat strokes. However all Bulldogs, unfortunately, no matter how well they breathe, or how active they are, are at high risk from heat strokes.
2. Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain
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   Try to keep the dogs out of the sun if the temperature outside reaches up to more than 85 degrees.
3. Be careful in walking the dog. It is a good idea to walk your dog either in the morning or in the evening when temperatures are lower. There are many areas where the temperatures are high in the warm months. During the summer, temperatures will be at their highest at the middle of the day.
4. If your dogs have thick coats, it is best to shave or trim them off a little bit to at least alleviate the heat that they feel. Pet grooming is also best practiced during the high months as parasitic insects like ticks and fleas are common during summer.
5. Take the pet’s temperature from time to time. A normal temperature is between 101-102 degrees. A body temperature of about 104 degrees or higher can probably cause heat stroke among pets.
6. Place your pet dog in a tub of cool running water. Take note, cool running water not cold! You can also spray them with a hose. Make sure that the cool water contacts the skin and doesn’t simply run off their coat. Thoroughly wet the belly and inside the legs. Take their temperature if possible to know when to stop cooling. A safe temperature is below 103 degrees.

By Fifth World Art from Flickr.com
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If your bulldog however shows early signs of heat stroke, cooling him down as rapidly as possible would be the best thing to do. Don’t wait for veterinary treatment. Heat Strokes are emergencies that should be taken seriously. You can try the cooling methods suggested in number 4. Treat the dog now! Do not force them to drink water because the swelling airways can cause any liquid that the take in to be regurgitated and possibly aspirated into their lungs. If your dog’s temperatures is 105 degrees or higher, rub a piece of ice on his tongue, 10 seconds on then another 10 seconds off. Hose the dog down with cool water –again, cool not cold. Apply an ice pack to the dog, and soaked towels or any other form of fabric to their body to cool them down.
If the dog has somehow cooled down, bring him to a veterinarian who can check him for symptoms of shock, a very dangerous condition that usually follows a severe heat stroke.

 

[2BullyMama]

also pay attention to the humidity levels..... it might feel cool with a breeze, but the humidity can add to them over heating quickly

 

[oscarmayer]

It's been my experience that older larger bullies do not tolerate heat as well as smaller and younger. However, this is not exact science and every bully should be observed, heat tolerance noted and acted upon accordingly. Panting during inactivity is the first sign to look for...it is then that they have reached their limit of heat exposure. Exposure to direct sun magnifies the effect of ambient temperature.
We keep our home no warmer than 71° but that's not for the bullies, that's for my wife who prefers it cool. I think our pups have now been spoiled(conditioned) to that temp.

 

[2bulldogsstuff]

When it's over 80 degrees outside and humidity I just leave my AC on for both of my boys just to be on the safe side. I worry too much


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[NellyBelly]

Thanks for all the advice especially the ways to keep them cool. I think I also worry too much too 2bulldogsstuff haha At least my boyfriend tells me I do.

 

[punky]

i say watch the dog.. i have 4 and one of them gets hot way faster then the others.. he prefers it in the house with me.. lol.. the others will also come in but he is the first to know when its to hot.. and of course i watch them close.. if i think its to hot then they have to come in or get in their pool..

 

[brutus77]

I usually will not let them outside in anything over 75 degrees except to potty. In the height of NY summer they are only outside early morning or evening. I will also completely wet them down so they can run around a bit. Just keep a really close eye on them, never let them outside by themselves. They can overheat to the point of no return very very quick. Frankie will lay in the sun and bake himself to death if i let him, he loves to sunbath. I have sliding doors in the back of the house that gets great sun exposure so he will lay inside in the AC to get his sunbathing in!

 

[LordNelson]

It's getting warmer out and I am wondering about overheating. What is too hot? I was thinking 75 and higher, but am not sure what the threshold is. Today it is 81 and varies between sunny and partly cloudy. We have the windows open, but should we have the AC on? What about walks? Also, we plan to take our bully to the cabin before it gets too hot. There is no AC at the cabin. What would be too hot at that point? We were planning on wetting her and providing a lot of water during the trip and keeping her in the shade. We also were planning on letting her splash in the shallow water. Thanks!

You're going to get a few different types of responses here, but one key point is that you will need to keep a very close eye on your bully to avoid overheating.

I live in central Tx, where it certainly gets hot. During summer, Nelson and I walk late at night (around 11pm) for about 20 minutes or so. In cooler weather, we'll walk for up to 30-40 mins. Nelson is a bit taller and leaner than most bulldogs though. I keep my house temp at 78 and make sure the ceiling fans are also on, as well as a ground level fan for him.

Nelson tolerates heat well, but I would be concerned if he was out in weather over 80 degrees for more than an hour, particularly if it is humid, there is little/no breeze, and if it is very sunny. If there is power at the cabin, definitely keep a fan on your bully, as well as provider her with a lot of water. Also keep a lot of ice on hand.

Hope some of the above helps

 

[NellyBelly]

Thanks everyone for your help! We do keep an eye on her and keep plenty of water around.