Pets are also feeling the heat this summer. Here's how you can protect them

Veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Jackson was working in an Alberta mountain town a few summers ago when a patient came in showing signs of heatstroke.

The dog had just had a long day of hiking and was disoriented, vomiting, panting heavily, and "very, very weak," she recalled. "He had a high elevated heart rate, he had low blood pressure. His body temperature was elevated."

He was immediately put on intravenous fluids and wrapped in cool towels. Isopropyl alcohol was applied to his paw pads for an evaporative cooling effect. He was also given an anti-nausea injection to prevent any further dehydration through vomiting.

The story has a happy ending: The dog's body temperature came down and he made a full recovery, Jackson said. 

But it's a reminder during these hazy, humid days of summer that humans aren't the only ones feeling the heat — pets are, too. And with even hotter days projected to come, veterinarians say it's important to take precautions and watch for signs of trouble in your furry family members.

Heatstroke may be top of mind for pet owners since it's something that humans can also suffer from. But burnt paws are actually a more common summertime injury — and one that can be easy to overlook, said Jackson, an instructor at the University of Calgary's faculty of veterinary medicine.

Imagine walking barefoot across a sidewalk or beach on a hot summer day, and you get some idea of what our four-legged friends go through.

"We forget that they're very unique in that their paw pads are touching the ground as they walk," she said. "Black pavement in particular can attract a lot of heat and can cause burn injuries to those paw pads."

Severe burns on paw pads can be tough to heal because the surface of the pads is relatively avascular, meaning that it's lacking in blood supply. On very hot days, consider keeping your pet inside and walking them only in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler, Jackson said.

If you're unsure, the American Kennel Club suggests placing the back of your hand on the asphalt on hot days; if you can't comfortably hold it there for 10 seconds, it's too hot for your pup's paws. 

If you do take your pet out on a hot day, watch for signs of heatstroke, which happens when the body is unable to cope with external heat.

As humans, we regulate our body temperature in part through sweating: the evaporation of sweat from our skin's surface removes excess heat and cools us down. But our pets don't have sweat glands distributed throughout their body in the same way.

In dogs and cats, the sweat glands are mostly located in the paw pads. It's such a small surface area that it doesn't help much with temperature regulation, according to Dr. Sarah Machell, a licensed veterinarian and medical director of Vetster, a telehealth app that connects pet owners to veterinarians for virtual consults.

That's why our pets pant in the heat — it's their way of cooling off.