Is the pavement too hot to walk your dog?

If you ever fried an egg in the driveway as a kid, you know that pavement can reach pretty high temperatures on a hot summer day. This doesn’t bode well for our canine companions when they have to trot along scorched streets and sidewalks on their daily neighborhood walks.

As humans, we often overlook how hot pavement can get because we don’t make a ton of direct contact with it. But, the temperature of roads in direct sunlight can be 40-60 degrees higher Trusted Source This is an approved Trusted Source for betterpet. Learn more about Trusted Sources than that of the air. So, how do you know if your best friend’s paw pads are at risk?

The term “pavement” can refer to any hard-surfaced road, street, driveway, parking lot, etc. But, different surface types like cement and asphalt reach different temperatures. This boils down (so to speak) to properties like thermal conductivity and heat capacity that can change the unit of degrees for an object when external energy is applied. Yay, science!

Here is how paved surfaces generally compare to air temperature:

Temperatures above 125 degrees Fahrenheit can incur a burn in as quickly as 60 seconds. This means your pup is at risk any day with a temperature over 77 degrees.

Before you spend your summer playing “the pavement is lava,” you should know that there are several steps you can take to protect your pup’s paws in the heat. Let’s dive in:

1. Walk in the shade

Shade doesn’t get enough credit for fending off sun rays. Walking your dog through shady tree-lined streets can greatly reduce their risk of burns. If your neighborhood doesn’t have this, consider driving your pooch somewhere that does. Of course, this is less feasible if you don’t have a car, so read on for more paw safety tips.

2. Take early morning or evening walks

The sun reaches its peak in the early afternoon, around 2 or 3 p.m. Try walking your dog in the morning before temperatures rise or at dusk when it starts to cool. Not only does this protect their paws, but it lowers the risk of heat stroke.

3. Buy dog shoes

Humans wear shoes for a reason. They protect our feet from dirt, sharp objects, rough terrain, and yes, burns. And while dog paws do a lot, from regulating body temperature to joint stability, they are sensitive to heat. Enter dog shoes! Aside from being cute, canine footwear can prevent burns — even infections or lacerations.

4. Buy paw wax

If your pup gets fussy when putting on shoes (many do), applying paw wax is an alternative way to protect their paws from hot pavement. The substance creates a protective barrier for both hot and cold environments. It’s also been proven to keep paws from cracking.

Balms can be applied to your pooch’s paw every couple of days. Avoid human products like vaseline that can irritate their stomach if they lick it off, and instead opt for products that use pet-safe natural ingredients.

5. Keep off the pavement

While this may be harder for city dwellers, those in suburban or rural areas could walk their dogs on surfaces with lower temperatures, like grass or soil. Try taking them to a dog park or on a hike, or let them splash around in a lake. Doggy daycares are also a way to socialize your pup in a climate-controlled environment that tires them out mentally and physically.

Regardless of the preventative steps you take, it’s important to check your dog’s paws frequently for signs of burning. Owners should look for the following symptoms:

• Blisters. You may spot red blisters on your dog’s paw that rupture in a day or two. Hot pavement can also singe off the protective layer of your pup’s paw pads, exposing redness.
• Limping. Unsurprisingly, it’s hard for a dog to walk on burned paws, so they may start limping to ease the pressure on the sensitive area.
• Licking and chewing. Dogs may try to soothe their burnt paws by licking or chewing on them, but this can lead to infection and should be discouraged.

👉 Check out our guide on how to treat burnt dog paws.

If you suspect your dog has burnt paws, rinse their paws in cool (not cold) water for 10-15 minutes and then seek veterinary care immediately. At your appointment, your vet will be able to assess the degree Trusted Source This is an approved Trusted Source for betterpet. Learn more about Trusted Sources of the burn based on how many layers of skin are affected. Treatment will likely include antibiotics, pain medication, bandaging, and an E-collar to prevent licking or chewing on the wound.

First-degree paw burns

First-degree burns on dog paws are the easiest to treat as they only impact the outermost layer of the paw. If you see redness on the pads but no blistering or raw skin, the damage is likely minimal but should still be treated by a vet with cleaning and an antibiotic ointment.

Second-degree paw burns

Swollen paws with blisters are signs of a second-degree burn, which can take weeks to heal. Because the dermis skin layer is exposed, you’ll want to minimize walking around and outdoor activity as it can cause dirt or other irritants to enter the bloodstream and cause infections. Your vet will likely bandage the wound to reduce the risk of exposure and prescribe an antibiotic and pain medication for faster healing and relief.

Third-degree paw burns

The most severe form of paw burns are those of the third degree, which will present as red or black charred-looking skin. While this can be painful for your pooch, it can destroy their nerve endings to the point that they feel nothing in their paws. Your vet will need to remove all the dead tissue around the wound, and depending on the severity, potentially perform grafting surgery. In severe cases, amputation may even be necessary.

The best way to know if your dog is at risk of burning themselves on pavement is to touch the pavement and see for yourself. If it’s hot for you, it’s hot for them, so you’ll want to look for alternative ways to get their walk in that day.