Does Shaving Your Pet Help Keep Them Cool in the Summer?

Summer is here and so is the Texas HEAT! Caring pet parents want what’s pets for their fur babies. Shaving pets to keep cool during the summer seems like common sense. When humans get hot, we take off layers of clothing, the same concept should go for animals too, right? Not exactly. Pets have a completely different PH balance than humans. For example, we have sweat glands all over our bodies to help keep us cool. However, our pets only have sweat glands in their paw pads. Pet fur acts as an insulator to regulate the pet’s temperature; to keep them cool or warm. Shaving the pet exposes the skin to the elements, limits his ability to cool himself down, and puts him at risk for sunburn.

There are certain circumstances when getting your pet shaved may be beneficial such as if he has hot spots. Hot spots can be very tender to the touch for the pet. For this reason, it is important to seek professional guidance when shaving a pet with hot spots because they may be snippy due to such irritated skin. Another reason a pet may need shaving is because of matted hair. Long coated pets are easily susceptible to matting if their coats are not properly maintained. Pets with matted fur are prone to skin irritation and infections, especially if they are often wet. Therefore, it is extremely important to brush your long-coated pets daily all year round.

In conclusion, maintaining a neatly trimmed coat all year round is perfectly fine to keep your pet cool during the warmer months. Other ways to help keep your pet cool is to provide lots of water, shady areas when outdoors, and/or limit outdoor activity to cooler times of day such as morning or evening.