Can I put a wet towel on my dog to cool him down?
Roselyn Dicki
2025-08-15 06:51:32
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Placing a damp towel over your pet can be dangerous in extreme heat. The damp towel can warm up and actually trap the heat in, so instead, you should place a damp cloth under your pet, so it can cool them from beneath. If you suspect your pet is suffering from heatstroke, call a vet immediately. When overheated, they instead rely on panting, but you can ensure you keep pets cool by providing shelter from the sun and ensuring they stay hydrated.
Elijah Swaniawski
2025-08-02 16:59:15
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The advice of soaking a towel with cool, but not freezing water and placing it over your dog is quite popular. However, this will warm up very quickly and then acts to trap the heat against your pet even more, so we suggest avoiding this unless advised otherwise by a vet. It can work better to flick some cool water on your pet instead, to help them cool down.
Lavonne Larkin
2025-08-02 14:25:13
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It is important NOT to place the dog into cold water or put wet towels over them. The cold water can send them into shock and the towels can warm up and act as a barrier, making the animal even hotter. It is also difficult to prevent the temperature from dropping too low once the animal is wet.
Dogs can only sweat through their paws and lose most of their body heat by panting.
Don’t cover the dog
Never submerge your dog in water – this could cool him too rapidly leading to further complications
Use cool – not cold water – cold water causes blood vessels to constrict slowing the process
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