There are few things more fun for your pup than playfully running around the garden, especially as sunnier days and warmer weather approach.

But a vet has warned that one popular feature could seriously hurt your pet and burn your dog's paws when overheated.

Some may be surprised to hear that fake grass - which absorbs and retains heat very well - is a common culprit for this.

Dr Sarah-Jane Molier, based in the Greater Oxford Area, told Pets Radar that burns - especially if they're severe - are not only painful for your pet, but can take a long time to heal and put your pooch at risk of infection.

She advised that as temperatures begin to soar it's important to look out for other hot surfaces too, including asphalt and concrete pavements.

Some may be surprised to hear that fake grass - which absorbs and retains heat very well - is a common culprit (stock image)

If you and your four-legged friend enjoy a seaside stroll, Dr Molier recommends watching out for dry sand on beaches.

And it's not just heat either - chemicals from lawn pesticides and bleaches, used to tend to your garden, could leave your pup with chemical burns.

The vet stressed that even melted ice and products which contain salt could do 'serious damage if you're not careful'.

According to PetMD, symptoms of paw burns include limping or a 'red, ulcerated or clear pad'.

Your dog may lick its injured paw, hold it abnormally or vocalise while stepping on the injured leg. 

The pet health hub advises that burns are generally easy to spot on your dog, and - much like in humans - can result in blisters which may rupture a few days later. 

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG GETS PAW BURNS  

According to Daily Paws, while going to the vet is a priority, there are some steps you can take to help relieve your dog's pain.

Erin Katribe, DVM, MS, medical director at Best Friends Animal Society, told the outlet that you can soak their affected paws in cool water.

Minor burns will require minimal maintenance, as long as the owner keeps the area clean and free from debris.

However, a more intense injury needs to be monitored for signs of infection - such as swelling, pain or coloured discharge - and may need extra care or even antibiotics. 

A bandage may also be helpful as, if your dog needs it, balms and medicated creams could very quickly be licked off. 

A vet will advise on the most appropriate treatments. 

More minor cases are likely to heal within seven days but more intense cases could see the process taking several weeks.

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To prevent this, PetMD advises avoiding extreme weather conditions, double checking surface temperatures - and avoiding them if they're too hot (or, in colder climates, too cold). 

Paw burns can also happen if your pet is not used to a new surface, so consistency and gradual introduction to new terrain is also a helpful preventative measure. 

It comes as the lockdown boom in pet ownership has led to an 'extremely worrying' rise in aggressive behaviour by dogs, according to a survey of vets.

Half of vets in the UK have reported a rise in the number of clients concerned about their dogs' increasingly aggressive behaviour over the last 12 months, the survey shows.

While vets in the survey were often unsure about the exact age of the dogs involved, in cases where the age was known, 87 per cent of dogs were believed to be under three years of age.

Almost one in four vets also reported an increase in the number of pets they had treated in the last 12 months who were injured as a result of aggressive behaviour by dogs.

The British Veterinary Association, who commissioned the survey, said the findings highlight the longer-term impacts on puppies bought over lockdown in 2020-2021.

An estimated 3.2 million households in the UK acquired a pet in the first year of the pandemic, with the proportion of people owning a dog increasing when compared to early 2020.

Pandemic puppy owners were more likely to be first-time dog owners, were less likely to seek out a breeder that performed health testing on their breeding dog(s), or view their puppy in-person.

A 2022 Royal Veterinary College study, funded by the BVA's animal welfare charity, Animal Welfare Foundation, predicted the risk of behavioural problems in some pandemic puppies bought during 2020.

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