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  1. Home
  2. Pets

How to keep your pet safe from heatstroke this summer

And the safest ways to keep them active. - by Laura Barry
  • 19 Dec 2019

WATCH: How to make a first aid kit for dogs

The Australian summer is a glorious time of the year. The weather is warmer, the days are longer and it’s the perfect opportunity to get outside, enjoy the great outdoors, and even take your beloved four-legged friends with you on outdoor adventures. However, summer poses a great health risk to our fur-babies, and as the weather warms up, we need to be more aware of our pet’s health.

In fact, RSPCA South Australia has already issued an urgent heat warning for pets after a one-year-old dog was discovered dead the backyard in Eyre Peninsula on December 17, due to being tethered in the sun with no available shade or water on a 34C day. 

Andrea Lewis, RSPCA SA Chief Inspector, said caring for animals in the heat is "basic stuff" that all animal owners should know.

"They must have ample shelter from this heat and unlimited access to clean water or they could easily die," she told 10Daily. 

dachshund dog in bed
Getty

According to fact sheets from VetWest animal hospitals heatstroke is a life-threatening conditions for animals, especially dogs. Dogs only perspire around their nose and paws, which isn’t sufficient to cool their body. The most effective means for a dog to cool down is to pant, but if your pet is outside in blistering heat, then none of their natural defences may help your dog cope with the heat.

The RSPCA recommends keeping your pets in cool, shaded areas with good ventilation during summer and hot weather. They also recommend avoiding any exercising with your pet in hot or humid conditions, never to leave an animal in a car or vehicle and always provide multiple sources of fresh water indoors and outside.

Some great ideas are children's clam shells filled with water, or multiple buckets or bowls of water spread throughout the property. 

cat licking ice
Getty

Which animals are most at risk of heatstroke?

The RSPCA reports that animals such as squishy and flat-faced dogs and cats, such as pugs, Pekinese and bulldogs, and Persian and Himalayan cats, are at a higher risk of heatstroke. Smaller animals such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbit, ferrets and birds are usually kept in cages and can’t get away from the heat on their own. In hot weather keep their hutches and cages in shady, well-ventilated areas with lots of fresh drinking water.

How to spot heatstroke

According to RSPCA Pet Insurance, signs of heatstroke include relentless panting, drooling, salivating, restlessness, very red or very pale gums, a bright red tongue, an increased heart rate, vomiting or diarrhoea. Other signs of heatstroke in animals include dizziness, seizures, collapsing, no urine production and confusion.

dog laying on dead grass
Getty

How to help a pet with heatstroke

  • Get your pet to a vet immediately
  • Remove your pet from the hot environment
  • Apply tepid/cool water to fur and skin (never iced water), then lay them under a fan to increase cooling

How to exercise a pet during in summer

  • Build up exercise slowly, especially if you’ve had a sedentary winter
  • Swimming is great exercise for older, obese or hairy dogs
  • Walk them in the morning before the heat is too high, but always check the pavement isn’t hot, in case your animal’s paws are burnt.
  • Ensure cats have a cool spot to sleep
  • Indoor cats will enjoy gentle aircon, just be sure it isn’t too cold
  • Encourage cats and kitten to engage in play and activities in the early morning or later afternoon when the heat isn’t as bad
  • Avoid car trips in hot weather

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  • Pets
  • Better Life
Laura Barry
Laura Barry
Laura Barry is a writer, bookworm and interior design enthusiast with a love for reporting on all things homes, travel and lifestyle. When not tapping away at her keyboard, Laura can be found making endless cups of tea or perusing the shelves of Sydney’s many bookstores.

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