By Dr. Kathy Boehme

Outdoor temperature plays a role in health from both an Eastern and Western perspective. A healthy body—whether human or animal—should be able to easily adapt to changes in weather until it starts getting into extremes. However, if the body is already out of balance, it may become even more inflamed as the temperature rises.

Consider a dog with seasonal allergies, for example. From a Western perspective, we might conclude that more plants are pollinating and therefore, we are seeing a more severe allergic reaction. From an Eastern perspective, however, we might conclude that rising temperatures are simply worsening an already hot, inflamed body.

In Southern California, we experience mainly dry heat. If a pet is already dry, or Yin deficient, we can see dry heat worsen symptoms such as scaling skin, itching, agitation, increased thirst, restless sleep, constipation, weight loss and bladder infections, to name a few. These signs can especially worsen during the Santa Ana winds.

Many animals who are overly hot or dry may benefit from cooling and moistening foods, such as turkey, whitefish, shellfish, cucumber, zucchini and watermelon. Chinese herbs formulated to cool the body and of course, keeping the pet in a cool environment and exercising only during the early morning or early evening hours can also help.

If a pet is damp, he/she may actually feel better when it is dry outside. Older, more heat deficient pets may also feel better in warmer temperatures. Damp animals—think of an overweight Labrador retriever with a large, wet tongue and several lipomas (benign fatty tumors)—really suffer in the type of hot weather typically seen in the southeastern United States. Thankfully, most of our damp weather occurs in the cooler months and does not cause as many problems.

If you have a pet who is already prone to chronic inflammation or other dry symptoms, you may see these conditions worsen during the summer months. Keep in mind that his/her body is hot and may not be able to adapt to changing temperatures easily.

Keep him/her cool, be smart about exercise times and consider cooling foods. If your pet is still feeling ill, consider an integrative medicine appointment to see if cooling herbs may be beneficial to help set the balance back where it belongs.

For more information about The Drake Center’s integrative program or to schedule an appointment, please call (760) 456-9556.