With a hot UK summer forecast, making sure our pets stay cool and safe is a top priority. Heat stroke can be fatal in dogs and can occur at lower temperatures than you would expect, particularly in high-risk populations such as flat faced breeds, thick coated or overweight dogs as well as puppies and senior dogs. Here are some top tips for keeping your pet cool and entertained in the summer months, as well as warning signs of heat stroke.
Tips for keeping your pet cool in hot weather:
1 – Keep walks before 8am and after 8pm
This is before/ after peak temperatures of the day so will provide a cooler ambient temperature for exercising your pet and reduce chances of heat stroke. Don’t forget that humidity and airflow also affect how your pet can cope with the heat, if it is a humid day without wind your pet will be less tolerant of warmer temperatures. When walking on pavement and the tarmac, keep in mind surface temperature. If you can’t touch the floor for more than 5 seconds, then it’s too hot for your dog’s paws!
2 – Low level of exercise
It’s not only the ambient outside temperature which affects chances of heat stroke, but also what kind of exercise your pet is participating in. If it is warm outside, it is recommended to only engage in low level activity, such as walking in the shade on a lead. Higher intensity exercise such as running, chasing a ball and dog sports should be avoided. Don’t forget that your pet is unlikely to stop themselves when they start to get too hot, even if they start to feel unwell.
3 – Food as entertainment
There are plenty of ways of keeping your pet entertained in the heat, without risking exercising them outside. Food enrichment games are a great source of entertainment, such as using puzzle feeders. Or for a free version, scattering your pet’s favourite biscuits in a shaded area of grass encourages sniffing behaviour. Other favourites for warm weather include other slow feeders such as Kong toys and LickiMats, which can be stuffed with food and frozen for a longer lasting game. For a low-cost option, a stainless-steel dog bowl can be lined with a tasty treat, such as peanut butter, then partially filled with water and frozen. This creates a dog ice lolly to keep them busy!
4 – Swimming & pools
If your pet likes swimming and getting wet, paddling pools are a cost friendly and fun way to keep your dog cool and entertained in the summer months. We would recommend a hard plastic pool, as excited claws and teeth easily pop the inflatable types! If your pet doesn’t initially seem interested, don’t force them in but try and make a game out of it, use toys and treats to make it fun.
5 – Keeping cool at home
Even in our own homes temperatures can become uncomfortable in a hot summer. The best ways to keep your home cool are to keep shades and curtains drawn and windows open on opposite sides of the house to improve airflow. Always ensure there is plenty of fresh water available in multiple areas of the house.
Heat stroke
Sometimes accidents happen, if your pet gets overheated it is important to know when this requires veterinary attention as heat stroke can be fatal. Heat stroke occurs when a dog or cat’s internal body temperature exceeds 40 degrees. With this we start to see early symptoms such as panting, red gums and tongue, drooling, agitation, increased heart rate and vomiting and diarrhoea. In the later stages this can progress to disorientation, collapse and even seizures. Early treatment gives better outcomes, so if you suspect heat stroke start by cooling your pet, then booking an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.
How to cool a dog with suspected heat stroke
- Immersing a young healthy dog with no other health conditions in cold (not ice cold) water will effectively lower body temperature.
- Putting water on your dog in a well-ventilated area or an area with a fan will allow rapid evaporation, cooling them effectively.
- Do not submerge or douse any animal in ice water, this can cause shock and constriction of the blood vessels in the skin, slowing cooling.
- Do not cover your pet in wet towels, this reduced evaporation from the skin and retains heat.
Although a lot of this information is aimed at dog owners, cat owners should also be aware of the dangers of heat stroke. Heat stroke is more subtle in cats, and often affects short nosed breeds, such as Persians and British Shorthairs more severely. If your cat starts to exhibit any of the above symptoms or breathe with their mouth open this is an emergency and should be seen as soon as possible.
