How to make your pet comfortable in the hot weather
Keeping your Pet cool
- Essential - Make sure your pet has access to fresh, clean water, and shade at all times
- Provide your pet with a cool surface to lie on - such as a cooling matt
- Don’t go for walks during the day. Choose early mornings and late evenings when its cooler, instead. Don’t forget your dogs water bottle!
- Check footpaths and pavements, as they can be very hot, even in the evenings, or avoid them altogether
- Cool your pet down by wetting paws. (Fact: dogs don’t sweat like we do - instead they cool down through panting and their paws)
- Get a pet pool or wet area so your pet can cool down by themselves.
- Trim long haired coats and fur on paw pads - talk to our groomer for advice on what cut would be best for your pet.
- Never leave your pet in the car, even if it’s for a minute, as it can have deadly consequences
- Turn on the Air Con if possible.
- Pay extra attention to older, overweight, and short-nosed dogs, such as pugs and bulldogs, as they’re not that good at dealing with heat.
- High humidity makes the heat more unbearable, even at lower temperatures, so take extra precautions on the humid days
- Freeze some carrots, or other healthy snacks, for a treat on those really hot days!
Signs of heat stroke
-
- Excessive panting and/or drooling
-
-
-
- Difficulty breathing
- Highly agitated and wide-eyed
- “Zoned out” look
- Loss of coordination
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
- Pale, dry gums
- Collapse and seizures
-
-
If you notice any of these signs, try to cool your pet down by putting them in a bath with cold water (but not too cold, as this may cause more damage than good) or by covering them with a cold, wet towel or blanket and call your vet. Heat stroke can turn deadly very quickly, so don’t leave it till the last minute!
Remember - prevention is the key!
