What a week we’ve had! Glorious sunshine, long days, and over bank holiday/half-term too. Can’t ask for better than that, eh?
It’s about time, then, that I gave my annual ‘hot weather kills pets’ warning.
Overheating kills animals every year.
Small mammals (like rabbits and guinea pigs) are very susceptible – trapped in a cage, they can’t move to somewhere cooler – a hot shed or a cage in front of a window can be fatal.
Cats can also suffer heatstroke. However, being the sensible creatures that they are, they tend to be active in the cooler parts of the day and seek shady spots if they feel themselves getting hot. Their danger mostly comes from being accidentally shut in somewhere – like a conservatory or a shed or a car – where they can’t escape to get cool.
Dogs, on the other hand, are a little less sensible – my sun-loving spaniel would lie in the sun until she was sick. They’re also a little more prone to the whims of humans, which means you’ll still see people walking their thick-coated, overweight golden retrievers in the heat. Ma’am, this is not what your vet intended when they said you needed to exercise your dog.
The thing is, dogs are wearing fur coats. They can’t sweat, so they mostly cool themselves through panting – it’s not the most efficient method. And if they’re being walked, they have less ability to cool themselves than usual, being unable to choose a cooler spot or lie on cool ground.
In fact, more dogs die of heat exhaustion from walking than they do in hot cars. Dogs do die in hot cars, but they also die on cliff paths, and beaches, and parks, and gardens after overdoing it from the heat. They die because the nice weather and a bank holiday weekend makes humans want to ‘get out into the fresh air’, taking their hapless dogs with them.
So, what to do if a dog is overheating?
Simple – get them wet, then to the vet.
Be on the look out for the signs of heatstroke (panting, drooling, red or pale gums, vomiting, confusion, and foaming at the mouth). If you see them, get their fur wet by pouring water over them (don’t use damp towels, they’ll trap hot air). Now, you need a stiff, cool breeze – the air con in the car is great – to promote evaporation. Lastly, you need to get them to the vet. Yes, even if they start to improve. Yes, even if you’ve had a drink (call a taxi). If it doesn’t delay you, call the vet to warn them you’re coming in – that way, they can prepare.
Lastly, please, please don’t listen to the nonsense online about squirting lemon juice down their throats or sticking ice cubes up their bottoms.
And just don’t walk them in the heat. Missing a walk won’t kill them, but the walk itself might.
