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Complications from Dog Walking in Summer (non-boarding)?

Hi, So I have a dog walking client (non-boarding) & this is my first time walking her in the summer. She's an energetic little beagle and I've been walking her for 30 min 5 days/week with no problems and when it got warmer I started walking her on a shaded forest path to avoid the glaring sun and hot pavement.

It's been around 81 degrees recently and unfortunately, the last two times after I've walked her, she's vomited: once in my car and once when I brought her back in her house. She wasn't panting and her gums were pink (not white, which is supposedly a sign of heatstroke), and her skin bounced back so that was a good sign & I decided to check back on her a few times after I left to make sure she was okay.

This second time we took it easier and I made sure to bring water and a bowl to take a water break and I shortened the walk by a bit so we didn't have to walk up a small hill.

I should have told her owners after the first time but after a few hours after vomiting I knew the dog was okay & I didn't want to immediately get into a discussion where I might officially shorten the walk and change my rate (which possibly would continue into colder weather) without really thinking it over first. I also didn't want to scare the owners since she was fine hours later. & there were no signs of heatstroke besides the vomiting.

I am going to contact the owner today about the second instance of vomiting but I want some ideas first.

It's also worth noting that she often has some gastrointestinal irritation which could be contributing to this, and it's possible that being in the car after a warm walk makes her dizzier.

Have you been in this situation? Did you shorten your walk & start charging less? What are the common changes to make here?

3 Answers

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She could just get carsick. It sounds like you are doing everything you can to keep her cool, or to cool her down after a walk. I always keep water and a dog bowl in my trunk to cool the dog down after a walk. It is good that you are keeping a conversation going with your client about this. I feel you'll learn more about the dog as you keep in touch with the client. If you notice improvements after future walks, you should definitely let the client know, so they won't have to worry about anything.

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Karen and Mary already provided good answers. Adding to that, there could be something else the owners changed such as food or medicine that you weren't aware of. I'd always tell pet owners in case they need to determine if administration of anything additional is needed.

I don't think you need to consider shortening the length of the visit, like Karen said, just spend the time together a bit differently. I'd also think about if it is possible to eliminate getting in the car to walk and walk closer to home.

I also bring water & bowl, walk on a cool path, carry dogs over hot surfaces(you can test real quick with your hand), change paths as needed, and avoid car travel. Never had to change a service charge based on weather.

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Thanks, yeah the reason I put her in the car is so we can walk on a forest path in the shade which is about a 5-10 minute drive away. Without driving, the only place we could walk is on the sidewalk in the strong sunlight (and they have a very intense hill leading up to their driveway).

I did contact the owner and she said to just try more low key, shorter walks.... I might actually just try walking the dog near the house again to see if it was the car causing the issue.

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First, you should have told the owners immediately and then, after staying with the dog awhile to ensure the vomiting didn't continue, reassured them that the dog appeared alright and that you would check back on it later. You never know if something else might have caused the dog to vomit other than heat. I just had a dog staying with me who vomited on two successive days. I thought the fruits and vegetables I had given him might have caused it, although he never had a problem with them before, and stopped. I emailed the owner and she now told me that he had had a sensitive stomach for a few days. Your client may know the cause.

As for walking in hot temps, you are doing the right thing, bringing water and staying in the shade. The pavement can be brutal on dogs' paws, so a nice grassy area/park might be better.

I'm sensing that you are concerned about the loss of revenue from a shortened walk. Talk to you client about their dog's ability to tolerate the heat. Do some walking, but spend the rest of the time in a shady area, playing with their dog. Everyone should put the dog's well-being first and the owners should appreciate your concern and the precautions/care you've provided.

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Yes, as I said, I walk on a forest path so it's dirt and pavement isn't an issue. I wonder if the car ride actually is what's triggering the nausea more than anything else.

And I did stay with her for over 10 minutes after we arrived inside, noting that she was cool, calm & no signs of heatstroke and there was a 15 minute time frame from between when she vomited in the air conditioned car and when she was inside. I didn't just leave right when we went back inside.