SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The San Diego Humane Society warned pet owners this week to be safe with their animals while exercising after a dog collapsed in hot weather.
A dog named Joey was half a mile down the Three Sisters Falls trail in Descanso Saturday when he started panting heavily, a sign of heatstroke.
“Dogs are lower to the ground, absorbing heat from above and below,” according to the SDHS. Their paws are also sensitive to hot dirt or pavement, experts say.
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Pets should not be exercised heavily in temperatures above 70 degrees, according to the SDHS. Temperatures in Descanso reached a high of 86 Saturday, according to 10News meteorologist Megan Parry.
The SDHS Emergency Response Team took Joey to Animal Urgent Care in Escondido, where he was treated for heat exhaustion and separating pads. Joey recovered and returned home with his owner.
Three Sisters Falls trail in East County is an arduous hike for humans which can be dangerous during summer. In central San Diego, warning signs reminding owners not to hike with dogs in hot weather are posted at the popular Cowles Mountain trail.
