With heat warnings and advisories in effect in most states at the moment, and especially spreading east right now, it’s time to take action and ensure that your pets are protected from heat stress.
SOME TIPS TO HELP KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE:
Indoors
- Provide extra drinking water, especially if your home is not air conditioned
- Open windows that have screens
- Close blinds on windows with direct sunlight
- Leave a fan switched on
Outdoors
- Never leave a pet in a car unsupervised (even with an outside temperature of just 70 degrees, the temperature inside a car can exceed 150 degrees in minutes)
- Bring outdoor pets inside if possible
- Provide a shaded area for them when outside
- Provide extra drinking water and replace it frequently
- Secure drinking bowls to prevent them being knocked over
- Walk away from hot pavements (pets are closer to the ground than we are, so in addition to their paws suffering from the hot pavement, their entire body feels the effect of radiated heat from the ground)
General Tips
- Keep long coats short in the summer
- Keep pets indoors as much as possible
- Reduce your pet’s exercise level
- Exercise him during the cooler times (early morning, late evening)
Pay Extra Attention To:
- Overweight pets
- Pregnant pets
- Old pets
- Pets with flat faces (like Persian cats, and dogs such as boxers and pugs)
- Animals with very short hair
- Animals with pink skin and white hair
Be On The Lookout For Signs Of Heat Stress:
- Rapid panting
- Loud or heavy breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Muscle twitching
- Incoordination
- Vomiting
What To Do If A Pet Is Suffering From Heat Stress:
- Cover him with a towel soaked in cool water, or place in bath of cool water if necessary.
- Seek veterinary attention immediately
- If you see a pet locked in a car unsupervised, call the authorities immediately – you might just save his life
Heat stroke can be fatal, and animals can succumb to its effects of in less than 15 minutes. The good news, however, is that it is preventable. With a little forward thinking and by following the simple tips above, you can reduce the chances of your pet suffering the potentially fatal consequences of heat stroke.
What are you doing to keep yourself and your pet cool right now?
Good reminders. My dog is a house dog–well, if I’m being honest, he’s a bed Lab–so no worries about the heat. Still, I’m amazed that people forget animals can’t sweat. I’m going to tweet this to get the reword out to more.
Thanks Jacqui! This time of year I can’t get enough of hearing reminders on how to look after our pets & ourselves in the heat.