Pet’s Safety in the Heat
Pet’s Safety in the Heat: A guide on keeping your pet cool in the heat.
Summer may be uncomfortable, if not deadly, for humans and animals.
Temperature rises are difficult enough without having to deal with high humidity. However, it becomes extremely challenging in communities hit twice by extreme heat and storm-related power disruptions, which can have tragic effects.
This summer, we can assist you in keeping your dogs safe and relaxed. Follow our advice to keep everyone in your family healthy during the summer.
Precautions for Summer Safety
NEVER LEAVE YOUR PETS IN A GARAGE.
Not even for a second! Not even while the engine is running and the air conditioner is turned on. Temperatures in a vehicle can quickly reach deadly levels on a hot day.
On an 85-degree day, a car with open windows can reach 102 degrees in 10 minutes.
The temperature had increased to 120 degrees after 30 minutes. Your pet could sustain irreparable organ damage or perhaps die.
Keep an eye on the humidity.
“It’s important to remember that not only ambient temperature but also humidity can affect your pet,” says Dr Barry Kellogg, VMD of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association.
“Animals pant to expel moisture from their lungs, which takes heat from their bodies.” When the humidity is too high, they can’t cool down, and their temperature quickly increases to deadly levels.
On hot days, limit your physical activity.
When exercising your pet, use caution. Adapt your exercise intensity and duration to the temperature.
Limit exercise to the early morning or late evening hours on sweltering days. Be especially cautious of pets with white ears, which are more prone to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets, who often have difficulty breathing.
Asphalt gets quite hot and might burn your pet’s paws, so if possible, walk your dog on grass. The consumption of water is critical to the maintenance of your companion dog’s overall health and wellbeing.
Heat affects pets differently than it does people. The feet of dogs are the primary route by which they perspire. And fans do not successfully chill pets as they do people.
Provide enough shelter and water.
If your pet spends time outside, ensure they are shaded from the sun and have access to plenty of fresh, cool water. If feasible, add ice to the water during heat waves.
Because they do not obstruct air circulation, shade trees and tarps are great. A doghouse will not assist with the heat; it will exacerbate it.
Keep your pet cool both inside and out.
Quickly make homemade doggie sundaes. Also, whether your pets are indoors or outside, always give water.
Use a cooling body wrap, vest, or mat to keep your pet cool indoors or out. Soak these items in chilly water for up to three days to keep them cool (typically dry).
Whether your dog does not dislike baths, see if he prefers a cold bath.
Check for indicators of heat exhaustion, such as dizziness or coma.
Extreme temperatures can lead to heat stroke. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms of heat stroke, you’re in danger of suffering a heat-related illness.
Heat stroke is extremely dangerous in animals who are very old, young, overweight, not acclimated to continuous exercise, or have heart or respiratory illness.
Heat can be particularly tough for short-muzzled breeds such as Boxers and Shih Tzus, as well as other dogs and cats with narrow faces.
Here’s how to care for a pet suffering from heat exhaustion.
Take your pet outside or into an air-conditioned environment. Apply ice packs or cold towels to the pet’s head, neck, and chest, or run cool (not frigid) water over the animal.
Have it on hand. Take tiny sips of chilled water or lick ice cubes. Take them to a veterinarian right away.
