My Take Tuesday: When the Pavement Burns

I love the summertime.

I love the smell of campfire smoke clinging to a hoodie after a night under the stars. I love the thunder of hooves at the rodeo, the twang of a guitar at a county fair, and the soft splash of a fishing line hitting still water. I love that people seem to smile more in July. Maybe it’s the sun, or maybe it’s the way grilled food and celebration bring us all a little closer.

But as a veterinarian, I’ve also learned that summer carries a shadow.

Each year, I see it in the panting, trembling bodies of dogs rushed into our clinic—tongues bright red, eyes glazed, pulses pounding beneath fur that never got the chance to cool down. Heat stroke doesn’t knock—it barges in. And it doesn’t just take the old or the weak. It takes the healthy. The young. The ones who were “just going to be in the truck for a minute.” The ones who chased the ball just one time too many.

I’ll never forget a black Labrador that collapsed at a family BBQ. He’d been romping with the kids, stealing hot dogs off the grill, tail wagging and tongue lolling—until he wasn’t. By the time they brought him in, he was already slipping away. His core temperature was 107. He didn’t make it.

That’s the problem with dogs—they love too hard and stop too late. They don’t complain until it’s already too critical.

So, here’s my summertime plea:

If it’s too hot for your bare feet on the pavement, it’s too hot for their paws.

If it’s too hot for you to sit in the car with the windows cracked, it’s too hot for them to wait there—even for “just a minute.”

If your dog is panting heavily, slowing down, drooling excessively, or seeming confused—stop. Find shade. Get water. Cool them down.

And don’t be fooled by clouds or breeze. Utah heat can sneak up fast.

I want your dogs to enjoy summer just as much as you do. I want them at the fishing hole, wagging their tails beside the campfire, or curled up on the porch after a day at the lake. But I also want them alive. Safe. With you.

So be their voice when the thermometer climbs. Be their protector when they’re too happy to know better.

There’s nothing better than summer.

Let’s make sure we all get to enjoy it together.

And that is My Take!

N. Isaac Bott, DVM