Look after your animals in this heat!

picklepick

Just a few tips to avoid heat stroke in pets. It's an extremely dangerous condition and can be fatal.

Dogs

Firstly avoid walking your hound during the hottest part of the day. 11-3
If you have to go out dont under an circumstances leave the dog in the car. Dogs can die in minutes in a hot car.

Symptoms of heatstroke to look out for are extremely excessive panting, a panicked expression, unawareness of surroundings, walking very slowly or refusing to stand up and confusion.

In these cirumstances you should immediately try to lower the body temperature by if possible submerging the dog in cool but not cold water. Make sure the water is getting to the skin and not just sitting on top of the fur. Then seek medical attention asap

Do not cover the dog in a wet towel, this will only stop heat from escaping and act like a sauna.

Offer water but do not force your dog to drink.

Even if your dog appears to look recovered you must still take him to the vets as a matter of urgency!

Cats

Cats exhibit mostly the same syptoms as dogs, and you may notice them breathing through their mouth.
Again submerge in cool but not cold water and seek a vets help straight away.

Small Animals
Make sure any outside hutches etc are in shade all day!

Dont forget that animals can get sunburn just like humans. If your pet has a light nose or ears you can apply suncream just like you would to yourself.

Remember heat stroke can be fatal, dont wait to treat your pet and get help straight away!

Forgot to say, pay extra care with your chinnies if you have any. They're meant for cool climates and dont cope well with heat. There are cool pads you can purchase, or a granite tile works well for them to lie on. An MSE version would be to freeze a bottle of water and wrap it in a towel!

Enjoy the sun!

cinderellacomplex

Thanks picklepick

The sunscreen one is important. I have never had a white dog before and my current border collie just has a white flash and collar but I noticed that her nose got red a couple of weeks ago and so invested in some waterproof sunscreen for that. You need to remember to reapply just as you would with people, especially if your dog is diving into water.

In terms of just heat, frozen filled kongs are great for cooling them down on hot days as well. My dog still likes frozen facecloths - a leftover from her teething days!

It's always advisable to just keep an eye on them anyway if you are outside and playing - my dog hates to stop playing to go and get a drink so we'll take a break and act boring for a couple of minutes while she grabs one every now and then when she looks particularly bothered.

picklepick

I put suncream on my cats nose..... she pretends not to, but she loves me really!

cinderellacomplex

Lol I can just imagine the look of sheer disgust that I would receive from any one of my cats if I tried to 'put gunk on them' :P Luckily they are dark tabbies and only 1 of them actually runs around in the sun all day.. literally.. she's a bit mad.

SueMaggie

A good tip if you have rabbits, guinea pigs or other small mammals out in a run in the heat is that, as well as putting the run in the shade, wring out a large towel in cold water to the stage that it's wet but not dripping and drape it over part of the mesh on the run.

It gives them extra shade when they sit under it and as the water evaporates it cools them down.

I used to do this for my bunny (now sadly no longer with us) and he used to go and sit in the right place when he saw me coming with the towel so I think he appreciated it.

chris_n_tj

Some great reminders there thanks.
Chris n TJ x

fireflycatcher

Thanks for posting.

Deep_In_Debt

Thanks for that. Not worried about my cats but worried about the devastating effects the tortoise leaves who loves this weather...my veggie patch never survives when the weather is nice!

xMonsoonx

I leave a large shallow bowl of water in my garden for our cat and the surrounding cats, we don't have birds here - well maybe the occasional seagull!

There is often ours and our neighbours cats laying on the grass in the shade in our garden!

picklepick

Just bumping this up as it's another hot day today.

Play safe everyone
xx

foreign_correspondent

Good thread - you would think everyone would be clued up on this sort of stuff, but - I went to an outdoor event yesterday... they kept making announcements over the tannoy for people to return to their cars immediately as there were concerns about their dogs...

What sort of an idiot leaves a dog in a car in temperatures above 80 degrees...

unbelievable:(