Get That Summer Feeling with Brown's

With what little outdoor exposure we’re getting, we’re still getting that summer feeling. The sun keeps peeking out and even though we’ve not reached proper British Summer yet, we’re on the verge. What better way to get that summer feeling than preparing? With Brown’s Pet Range you can do just that, we’ve got some tasty summer snacks perfect for keeping them cool when the sun comes. 

With that in mind, a lot of news fluctuates on social media about what you should & shouldn’t offer your dog to help keep them cool. A lot of fear mongering can be found on your news feed; with some of it leaning more towards fiction rather than fact. Today we cover the dos & don’ts to keeping your dog cool in the short summer we experience. 

Ice Creams & Dairy 

A subject of some concern to dog owners is if it is okay to feed your dog an ice cream? The joy of hearing the Ice Cream Van arrive on your street is practically unmatched & it may seem an easy choice to buy one for your dog to! So why is this section here? Well the talking point of dairy is discussed regularly by some dog groups & some support the suggestion that dogs should avoid dairy altogether. 

Now like us humans, dogs can also suffer from Lactose Intolerants. This is obviously a rare condition for humans & dogs alike. Obviously, the vast majority of puppies are completely fine on their mother’s milk, however they may not be tolerant of milk from another animal. 

The majority of dogs will have no issues with dairy & they’ll be no harm done if you allow them to finish the cone; trial them out with small doses of dairy to see how they respond! However like us, what you should be vigilant of is letting your dog overindulge on ice creams & other dairy products which contain additional ingredients to ‘sweeten’ the taste. What we recommend here is finding a solution which doesn’t contain any unnecessary added ingredients; thankfully Brown’s Pet Range has a solution. 

Our Frozen Doggy Ice Creams are made only containing natural pro-biotic yogurt & an additional flavour of your choice! Natural yogurts actually can offer several benefits when fed to your dog. The higher concentrated levels of pro-biotics found in natural yogurt helps improves a dog’s gut. It is also proven to help fight yeast infections which can help dogs who suffer from recurring skin or ear infections! 

A Word on Ice Cubes 

I know what some of you are thinking: “Ice Cubes?! What’s wrong with Ice Cubes?!” & we would agree. However some people may remember a report that does the rounds on Facebook each summer stating that Ice & Ice Water are incredibly dangerous to a dog & can cause bloating which seriously affects the health of a dog. Well we’re here to tell you that the claim is as you would expect largely false. 

A blog post from 2010 went viral massively in that summer claiming that Ice Water had been offered to their dog which caused the dog some distress. They rushed to the local veterinary clinic & were told that the dog would need surgery. After a successful surgery they believed that the Ice Water is what caused their dog to have stomach spasms & bloating. Obviously because of the nature of the story, the news was shared all over social media platforms by concerned pet owners. 

But according to Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director at the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,) the information is false. “This is not true," said Dr. Wismer. "Dogs do not bloat from drinking ice water on hot days. They can be given as treats or put in the water bowl. Some behaviourists even recommend freezing toys or treats in ice for dogs to chew on." 

To go further, Dr. Michael Tuder who owns four animal hospitals in the United States refers to the story as ‘Urban Legend.’ "Putting ice in your pet’s water is not known to be harmful. In fact, after a dog or cat has an anaesthetic procedure, we do not allow them to drink water but indeed do let them lick on some ice. If a dog is going to have a problem with ice water then it would have to be linked to another problem with that particular pet." 

So be rest assured that using ice cubes to help keep your dog cool is a fine choice. If you however do witness any signs of heatstroke in your dog, a visit to the vet is a requirement. 

Cooling Accessories 

We’ve all been in situations where we’ve being unbearably hot & unsure how to possibly cool yourself down further. Now for us humans, it would be socially frowned upon to go out wearing a jacket you’ve doused in water, thankfully dogs don’t care. 

We’ve brought in for the summer some beautifully cool cooling jackets, which you can plunge into to water & be worn by your dog, helping them regulate their body temperature & keep them cool. 

We’ve also brought in a variety of ways to keep your dog cool in the house, we supply a variety of cooling mats, beds & bowls to really help regulate their tempurature. If you wish to feel really extra, we also supply dog paddling pools and dingys to really up that pampered pooch feeling! You can find them all below: 

Conclusion    

With everything in mind, the most important thing to remember is keeping safe. If we can help in any way, we can be reached on 01268 690706 or email us at hello@brownspetrange.com.