A pet owner tried out a “hack” she says she saw on TikTok in an effort to cool down her dog in 90-degree weather. Some pet owners are advising against it.
The National Weather Service on Sunday reminded people that “heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S.” due to an ongoing heat wave that’s impacting several states in the country. “Take the heat seriously and avoid time outdoors,” the National Weather Service warned, per NBC News.
Dog owners, however, know it isn’t always possible to avoid time outdoors. So in an effort to help other dog owners out, TikTok user @haroldprater68 shared a hack she learned to mitigate the impact the heat has on her pup. “I saw a TikTok saying that you should put a frozen paper towel on your dog to cool them off,” the text overlay on her video reads.
In her video, she demonstrates this by collecting a paper towel that was in her freezer and placing it on her pup, who is laying on the ground. “I think she likes it,” the TikToker says, as her dog seems to accept that the towel is draped over them.
@haroldprater68 it’s 90 degrees today😳 #dog #dog #dogs #maltese #beattheheat #fyp ♬ original sound – tshirts.style✅
The video amassed 1.6 million views within 24 hours. Some viewers urged the content creator, and others, not to do this. “[You’re] gonna send their body into shock! I wouldn’t do this,” one viewer wrote.
Viewers tried to share constructive feedback and offer different methods regarding how they cool off their dog.
“I just read today you’re not ever suppose to cover them with something cold you give them something cool to lay on instead,” one viewer shared.
“I read that you are to wrap their paws in cold, not frozen towels. Putting water directly on them is worse,” another said.
“Get a dog cooling pad. I lightly spray it with water and put it in the freezer. After our walkies I put it down and she lays on it. Our dog loves it,” a third suggested.
The Daily Dot could not find any evidence to back up the claim that placing a frozen towel over a dog is unsafe. However, Purina notes that while “the advice of soaking a towel with cool, but not freezing water and placing it over your dog is quite popular,” the towel will likely warm up quickly and trap the heat. “We suggest avoiding this unless advised otherwise by a vet,” Purina encourages.
Furthermore, most pet blogs recommend putting the dogs on top of cool items, rather than the other way around. Some suggestions include a cool wet towel or cooling mat. Battersea further recommends placing the pet in front of a fan or allowing them to drink “small amounts of cool water.”
“Pour cool water over the dog’s feet, ears, and head. Never use ice or very cold water as this can cause shock. Gradually start to move cool water over their body but not too much that they start shivering,” Battersea recommends.
The Daily Dot reached out to @haroldprater68 via TikTok comment for more information.
