With the hot summer weather upon us, now is an important time to review your pets’ housing or access to cool areas to prevent them from suffering from heat exhaustion.
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Signs can include excessive panting, laboured breathing, increased heart and breathing rates, drooling, weakness, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, seizures and death.
On a hot day it can be easy to miss these signs and think that your pet is just feeling the heat, which can have tragic consequences.
To keep your pet safe, keep them inside in air-conditioning, or use fans in your home to improve airflow.
Always ensure your pet has fresh, clean water, and consider freezing ice cubes, a drink bottle or stock to place in their bowl of water to keep it cool throughout the day.
Placing ice bricks under bedding or hutches can help.
Swimming in the river or playing under the sprinkler or in a kids’ clam shell pool are also great cooling methods for dogs.
Try to exercise or play with your pet in the early morning or late evening, to avoid the time during the day when the sun and air is hottest.
Avoiding the sun or using animal sun creams can also help prevent sunburn.
Grooming can also encourage airflow close to their skin and quick drying if they are swimming regularly.
Surfaces like cement, sand or the back of a vehicle can burn your pets’ feet.
Hold your hand against these surfaces for at least five seconds to check they are not too hot for your pet.
If they are too hot for you, they will be too hot for your pet.
