How to take care of your dog during Hong Kong’s summer heat and thunderstorms

If you think this summer has been brutal, imagine how it feels for our pets, especially dogs. Whether cooped up in air-conditioned flats or kept in outdoor village compounds, dogs face severe physical and psychological strain during extreme weather. This link between environmental stress and pet reactivity comes amid a greater community focus on dog behaviour and safety in urban spaces. Hong Kong has recorded its hottest summer on record. Climate change is not only raising temperatures but also making typhoons in Asia stronger, wetter and more destructive by warming sea surface temperatures and loading the atmosphere with moisture. So what can dog owners do to take better care of their pets, now that the summers are hotter, wetter – and longer? “Dogs manage their body temperature by balancing internal heat from metabolism and exercise with external heat absorbed from their environment,” says veterinary surgeon Jacqueline Tong at Mid Levels Veterinary Centre on Hong Kong Island. “To prevent overheating, they primarily rely on evaporation through panting, such as evaporating moisture from their tongue, and sweating minimally through their paws.” Dogs also cool down by conduction by making direct contact with cool surfaces, often lying on their bellies as blood vessels close to the skin dilate to shed heat, Tong says. When it gets extremely hot, airflow and shade are not enough. Dogs have to rely almost entirely on panting and lying on cool floors. In hot weather, especially when animals are kept mainly outdoors, this can trigger behavioural changes that could be misconstrued as problematic. When heat triggers irritability Heat triggers psychological strain in dogs, leading to a noticeable drop in patience, says Jack Chan, the dog training director at Dogather, a pet training centre in Yuen Long, in Hong Kong’s New Territories. Dogs become easily irritated under thermal stress, which can manifest as sudden restlessness, continuous pacing, whining and even uncharacteristic bursts of anxiety or aggression. “The most immediate sign of heat stress is acute lethargy,” Chan says. “When temperatures soar, dogs instinctively seek out shade, refusing strenuous exercise and opting to rest to regulate their core body temperature.” Their interest in food often plummets at the same time, he adds, as the body redirects energy away from digestion to focus on cooling down. Paws, pavement and heatstroke Tong advises owners to do a quick test, “putting their hand on the pavement for five seconds. If they feel it’s too hot for their hands, it’s too hot for the animal as well”. Some pet products on the market designed to help actually hinder, says Debbie Ngai, founder and service director of the Hong Kong Animal Assisted Therapy Association. “While putting shoes on dogs seems like a good way to protect their paws from the burning hot pavement, it actually disrupts their natural biology,” she says. “Dogs rely heavily on their paws to sweat and release body heat, so trapping them in shoes can severely limit their ability to cool down. In extreme heat, this well-intentioned practice can quickly become dangerous.” To prevent heatstroke, Chan recommends making a cool environment a priority and providing constant access to fresh water. “During the peak summer months, owners must adjust their training routines and completely avoid forcing dogs into high-intensity workouts,” Chan says. “Instead, the focus should strictly be on their immediate safety and physical comfort.” Taking a dog for walks in the early morning or late at night is best, Ngai suggests. Sniffing is a big part of how a dog experiences the world, so dogs kept indoors due to extreme weather could be allowed to sniff for hidden snacks. Foraging mats, designed with fabric folds, pockets or silicone ridges in which to hide dry food or treats for the dog to sniff out, help relieve their pent-up energy and anxiety. Keeping your pet inside during peak temperatures is the only foolproof way to ensure they stay safe Jacqueline Tong, veterinary surgeon Tong warns that, as in humans, heatstroke in animals can also lead to death. Observe early warning signs: “If a dog shows a slowed reaction time, starts panting persistently, or actively seeks out shade, they are signalling that they desperately need to cool down,” Chan says. “When dogs cannot cool themselves, overheating damages cells and triggers systemic inflammation, which can quickly lead to fatal heatstroke,” he says. “The intense heat disrupts the immune system and causes severe clotting disorders, visible as skin bruising or bleeding gums.” Chan stresses: “Before full, life-threatening heatstroke occurs, dogs suffer heat exhaustion, showing fatigue, weakness, vomiting or diarrhoea. Left unchecked, this escalates to multi-organ failure as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys shut down. Owners must act immediately at the first sign of distress, because without rapid intervention, this internal damage will lead to death.” “The absolute best way to protect dogs from extreme heat,” Tong says, is to “keep them indoors with fans or air conditioning running. If you must take them outside, never leave them unattended, and always perform the five-second pavement-heat test. “When outdoor exposure is completely unavoidable, dogs must have uninterrupted access to deep shade and fresh water at all times. Ultimately, keeping your pet inside during peak temperatures is the only foolproof way to ensure they stay safe.” Storm anxiety and barometric pressure Just because the sun is not beating down on the pavement does not mean a dog is unaffected by Hong Kong’s extreme weather. Beyond rising mercury, atmospheric instability brings its own psychological toll. “Dogs are deeply attuned to nature, and their natural instincts remain sharp even when living in highly urbanised environments,” Ngai says. “Long before humans notice an approaching storm or typhoon, dogs can sense subtle shifts in the atmosphere.” “They detect falling barometric pressure, rising humidity and changes in the way the air smells. For many pets, this sensory shift triggers an immediate stress response, causing them to grow anxious or lose their appetite well before the first drop of rain falls.” These weather shifts take a physical toll, too, particularly on senior dogs. Changes in air pressure can aggravate joint pain and arthritis, Ngai says, making older pets visibly uncomfortable and restless. During these early stages of a storm, a dog’s natural impulse is to seek comfort and safety. They may become clingy, looking to their owners for reassurance, or may simply want to rest quietly in a secure spot. When the actual storm hits, the sudden onslaught of heavy rain and thunder intensifies this anxiety. To help them cope, pet owners can encourage them to mimic natural survival behaviours. In the wild, dogs instinctively retreat to dark, enclosed spaces such as caves to shelter from severe weather. At home, owners can recreate this sense of security by providing an “undercover shelter”. Setting up a covered crate, a cosy den under a desk or a quiet, enclosed corner allows anxious dogs to retreat, feel hidden and safely ride out the storm. Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.

How to take care of your dog during Hong Kong’s summer heat and thunderstorms

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Extreme heat and storms can severely affect dogs, both physically and emotionally. Here are some expert tips on caring for yours

Extreme heat and storms can severely affect dogs, both physically and emotionally. Here are some expert tips on caring for yours