It’s important to help keep our pets cool and comfortable to avoid serious illnesses like heat exhaustion and stroke
A vet has offered a dog food method that could keep your pet cool in the scorching heat the UK is facing. A Met Office Extreme Heat warning is currently in place for much of southern and central England and Wales.
In addition, Amber warnings now also extend into Friday and Saturday for some. The forecaster said today, Wednesday, June 24, that temperatures “will exceed 30°C for many on Wednesday and Thursday, with a peak of around 37°C possible on Wednesday and 38°C on Thursday and Friday, though there’s still a chance of this being exceeded.”
While many of us are struggling in the high temperatures sweeping across the country, our pets are likely feeling the effects even more acutely. With a natural inclination to be outside, keeping your dog or cat cool and comfortable during a heatwave can feel like an uphill battle.
However, it’s important that we do everything in our power to keep our pets safe and avoid serious conditions such as heat exhaustion, heatstroke and, tragically, death. “Not all breeds are equally at risk,” explains Dr Alex Crow, an RCVS licensed veterinary surgeon.
“Flat faced dogs, like Frenchies, Bulldogs, and Pugs, as well as overweight dogs, are a lot more at risk than other breeds as they can’t regulate temperature as well,” he says, urging owners of these breeds to be “extra cautious.”
Much like dogs, Dr Crow – who shares his expert animal advice on his Instagram @alex_thevet – cautions that “flat faced cats are more prone to overheating, and worth keeping indoors.” When it comes to keeping pets cool, however, Dr Crow reassures us that “Whatever works for humans works for animals.”
Today, Dr Crow has revealed his top three tips for keeping pets cool, along with how to identify the early warning signs of heat exhaustion and what steps to take.
Dr Crow’s top 3 methods to keep pets cool
Dr Crow highlights some clear ‘don’ts’ when caring for animals in hot weather, all of which can rapidly lead to dangerous overheating. “Never put a dog in a car,” he warns. “Dogs can die in just five minutes if they’re left in a hot car.”
If you’re sticking to all the safety advice but still want to discover methods to keep them cool, follow Dr Crow’s essential tips.
1. Freezing food and water fountains
“Adding water to dog food and freezing it is an effective way to keep pets cool,” he says. “It’s a great enrichment for dogs who are bored inside, and it can work really well.”
As the dogs lick the ice, it can cool them down. “Freezing pieces of cucumber or carrot also works,” he said. “It keeps them occupied and cools them down.”
Dr Crow also recommends leaving plenty of water available, and for cats, water fountains. “Cats have evolved from desert animals and they avoid stagnant water,” he explains. “They’re more likely to drink if the water is fresh and moving.”
2. Keep them inside
“Even on mildly warm days, it’s surprising how hot tarmac can get,” Dr Crow says. “During the summer, I see lots of dogs with ulcerated sore paws.”
For this reason, Dr Crow advises you to always do the ‘pavement test’. “Hold the back of your hand against the Tarmac. If it’s too hot to keep your hand there for seven seconds, it’s too hot for a dog’s paws,” he says.
“If you want to walk your dog, go very early in the morning or late in the evening. A dog isn’t going to die from missing a walk. But it could die on a walk.”
Dr Crow does say it’s generally okay to let your cat out during a heatwave. “Cats are pretty good at self regulating body temperature,” Dr Crow says. “They don’t tend to exert themselves as much as dogs, and they’re better at finding shade and cold spots.
“As long as they have an easy way in and out of the house, they should be fine going outside during a heatwave.”
3. Invest in a cooling mat
“Cooling mats are actually really good,” Dr Crow says. While they won’t ‘feel’ cool to the touch, they’re manufactured from highly conductive materials that assist with heat transfer.
“They work by absorbing heat and dissipating it. Animals will naturally be drawn to them,” he explains.
“When an animal lies on one, it absorbs the heat and evaporates it into the air.” Positioning one or two in your pet’s preferred cool areas around the house will help maintain their comfort.
Signs your pet is overheating
“The most obvious sign your pet is overheating is panting very heavily and frantically,” Dr Crow says. “Especially if they haven’t been exerting themselves. Dogs don’t sweat through their fur or skin like humans, so panting is a dog’s way of regulating body temperature.
“If their gums look particularly red or dark in colour is a sign they are overheating,” the vet says. “This means blood to the extremities has increased to dissipate the heat.
“More severe signs that your pet has overheated include wobbliness, collapsing, and vomiting – a hot dog will feel nauseous and sick. Drooling, too, can be a sign of heat exhaustion.
“Open mouth breathing is always a red flag in cats,” he explains. While he acknowledges this could indicate another respiratory condition, it is frequently one of the earliest warning signs of overheating in cats.
What to do if your pet is overheating
“If your dog is overheating, it’s one of the few emergencies where you don’t want to get to the vet straight away, but actually cool them down first,” Dr Crow advises. He stresses that getting your pet as cool as possible in the shortest time is essential, urging owners to “pour cold water over them and get them as wet as possible.
“The temperature of the water doesn’t matter too much, but obviously you don’t want to shock them with very cold water.” The same principle applies to cats.
He said: “Cats typically aren’t fond of having water poured over them, but if it means you’ll save a life, you’ve got to do it.” As an alternative, Dr Crow says: “Dampening a towel and putting it over them can help, but make sure you re-dampen the towel enough to avoid trapping the heat on their body.”
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