Keeping my husky comfortable

Question
I live in the midwest with my 17 year old husky. It can get very hot and humid here and my dog is having problems coping with the heat. He pants constantly (even with the A/C) and lays on the tile with the fan on him. The summer heat will only get worse in the coming months so I'm looking for ways to keep him comfortable. Would it me wise to give him a "lion cut"? I know that he would look ridiculous but I'm more concerned with making him feel comfortable, especially with his age. One other thing I would like to mention though is that he also has arthritis in his hips, would shaving take away from the cushioning his fur provides while laying down? Thanks!

Answer
We live in the midwest as well, so we know how the heat thing goes.  Believe it or not, the fur is an insulator (yeah, takes a genius to figure that one out, eh?).  What people forget is that an insulator works in both directions - cold and hot.  The fur actually helps to keep the dog cool as well, and shaving them removes that insulation.  It's a little counter-intuitive, but most huskies do fine in the warmer weather with appropriate access to shade, water and good A/C.  One other problem with shaving them, besides them loosing their insulation, is that often the fur never grows back correctly, causing problems in the winter too.  They do make some sleeping mats with water in them that are designed to keep the dog cool.  We've often thought about getting them, but haven't yet - although I've heard great things about them.  Drs. Foster & Smith have two - one for outdoor and one for indoor use.  That might be a great solution and could also help with the hip arthritis.  You can find them online in the "dog beds" section under "mats and pads".  Hopefully that will help!