14/06/2023
🌞 Top tips for keeping your dog safe in hot weather. 🌞
😎 Provide shade and water – Make sure your dog has access to shade and plenty of fresh water throughout the day.
🐾 Plan your walkies –Walk your dog in the early morning or late in the evening when temperatures are cooler. This will reduce their risk of heatstroke. Be particularly careful if your dog is old, overweight or suffers from breathing difficulties.
🔥 Do the five-second tarmac test –Tarmac can get very hot in the sun and could burn your dog’s paws. Check the pavement with your hand before letting your dog walk on it – hold your hand down for five seconds, if it's too hot for you, then it's too hot for your dog's paws.
♨️ Don't let them get sunburnt – Keep your dog out of direct sunlight where you can. Use pet-safe sun cream on exposed parts of your dog’s skin, like the tips of their ears and nose, especially if they are white.
🚗 Check ahead for adventures –If you're planning a day out somewhere, check whether dogs are welcome. Dogs die in hot cars, so it's unacceptable to leave them in the car while you explore. Even with the windows down a bit!
If you do have to travel with your dog, plan your journey. Consider travelling at cooler times of the day, identify places to take breaks and avoid congested roads or busy times of day when you could get caught in traffic.
🔥 If dogs are too hot and can’t reduce their body temperature by panting, they may develop heatstroke which can be fatal. Heatstroke can affect any type of dog, but certain breeds and types of dogs are at increased risk, including brachycephalic or flat-faced breeds such as English Bulldogs, Pugs and French Bulldogs.
⛑️ Symptoms of heatstroke in dogs include:
Panting heavily
Drooling excessively
Appearing lethargic, drowsy or uncoordinated
Vomiting
Collapsing
Diarrhoea
🚑 Emergency first aid for dogs with heatstroke:
Move the dog into a cool shaded area,
place them in the breeze of a fan, or in an air-conditioned room
Offer them water
Start cooling them down by soaking their body with tap water, lie them on a cold wet towel or cooling mat, but don’t place a towel over them as this can raise their temperature.
Phone your vet to tell them you are on your way, and transport your dog as soon as it is safe to do so.