11/08/2024
⚠️ HOT WEATHER WARNING ⚠️
We are due extremely HOT weather TODAY and tomorrow, it’s due to reach around 27 degrees.
We would highly recommend that you do NOT walk your dog during the peak daytime temperatures.
Please keep yourself and your pet safe in the extreme heat.
Please see this link for advice from the NHS on how to keep yourself and your family safe and well during the hot weather;
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/
Please remember the following advice to keep your pets safe:
🐾 Stay home during the day and do fun and cool enrichment.
We love to hear from you so please always feel free to upload a post into the group if you have any new enrichment ideas or if you need some inspiration.
🐾 Never leave pets in cars during hot weather. The temperature inside a vehicle can escalate at an alarming rate.
☀️Avoid taking dogs on walks during the hottest part of the day, go early morning or late evening at around sunset if not later and take some water along with you
🐾 Stand on the pavement barefoot for 5 seconds, if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them
☀️ Take particular care with flat faced, and very hairy breeds, these pets will find it more difficult to cool themselves and are more at risk of heatstroke
🐾 Signs of heatstroke include excessive panting, collapse, vomiting, drooling and lethargy- seek veterinary advice as soon as possible and in the meantime cool your pet by wetting the fur with tepid water and placing them in the shade, an air conditioned room/vehicle, or in front of a fan.
It’s important not to use cold or icey water as this can cause animals to go into shock at the sudden drop in temperature.
If the humidity is up at 75 or 80 per cent, dogs will still get really hot when being exercised and can't cool down.
This is because they pant to cool down but if the air is humid the saliva doesn't evaporate so the cooling mechanism fails.
They essentially cook from the inside out.
Most weather forecasts will show the humidity expected each day and can be a handy tool for making sure you don't leave your pet in danger after a walk when the mercury is lower.
Another common mistake dog owners make is leaving their pet shut in at home, assuming they'll be safe because it's out of direct sunlight.
People are unlikely to leave doors and windows open if they're not home.
As dogs pant to cool down, they need some kind of air movement to make this inefficient system have any effect at all.
An easy fix is to leave a fan on while you're out as this keeps air moving around the house and will allow your dog to cool down if things get warm.
How to keep a dog cool and prevent heatstroke
Make sure your dog has access to clean water at all times, ideally a large bowl filled to the brim. Carry water and a bowl with you on walks.
On hot days, walk your dog during the cooler parts of the day, in the early morning and late evening
Watch your pet for signs of over-heating, including heavy panting and loss of energy. If you recognise these signs when on a walk, stop, find a shady spot and give your dog water.
Never leave your dog (or any pet) alone in a car, even with the windows open
Make cooling tasty treats by making ice cubes with your dog’s favourite food inside or stuff a Kong and pop it in the freezer
Be particularly careful with short nosed dogs such as bull breeds, boxers, pugs, older dogs, and those that are overweight. These dogs can get heatstroke simply by running around.
Heatstroke in dogs
Dogs can suffer fatal heatstroke within minutes. Unlike humans, dogs can’t sweat through their skin and so they rely on panting and releasing heat through their paw pads and nose to regulate their body temperature and keep cool. Imagine wearing a thick winter coat on a hot summer’s day and you’ll understand why dogs succumb to heatstroke so easily.
Signs of heatstroke in dogs include collapse, excessive panting, and dribbling.
If you suspect your pet is suffering from the condition, move them to a cool place, preferably with a draught, wet their coat with cool - not freezing - water, and contact your vet immediately.
Once a dog shows signs of heatstroke the damage is often already done, which is why it’s so important to prevent it.
Dogs in hot cars
Dogs succumb to heatstroke quickly. As above, they cannot sweat in the same way that people can and cannot keep cool as easily as we can. A car can become an oven very quickly even when it doesn’t feel that warm. When it is 22°c outside - within an hour - the temperature in a car can reach an unbearable 47°c.
Never leave a dog in a car, even for a moment. "Not long" is too long.
Can I smash a window to free a dog from a hot car?
If you see a dog in distress inside a car, official advice is to dial 999 immediately and ask for the police. A dog in distress in a hot car is an emergency and the police will advise you what to do based on the situation.
Depending on the severity of the situation, the police may attend and break into the car to gain access to the dog, or they may advise you to do this. If you decide to break into a car without proper justification, this could be classed as criminal damage and you may need to defend your actions in a court.
Call the police using 999 and tell them what you intend to do and why. Take pictures and/or videos of the dog in distress and the names and phone numbers of witnesses. The Criminal Damage Act 1971 provides a lawful excuse to commit damage if you believe that the owner of the property that you damage would consent to the damage if they knew the circumstances (under section 5(2)(a).
Prevention
The best prevention is to keep your dog indoors during the hot weather.
Take care of your dog’s delicate paws. If the pavement is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for their paw pads too.
If your dog swims or paddles in the sea to keep cool, remember to rinse the salt water and sand from your dog’s coat after to avoid drying out and irritating their skin.
Here are some web links to great pages that can keep you and your dog safely and happily occupied at home;
Canine Enrichment: https://www.facebook.com/groups/canineenrichment/
Beyond the bowl: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1747279312231501/
ACE connections: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332134427492077/
Kikopup You Tube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup
School of canine science on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/InTheDoghouseDTC
Canine Confidence Academy, free taster courses:
https://www.canineconfidenceacademy.com/
Brilliant Family Dog, free short courses:
https://www.brilliantfamilydog.com/
Nail maintenance for dogs:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/learning_content/
Positive dog husbandry:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PositiveDogHusbandry/
Dog Training College, check out their free stuff and page:
https://www.dogtrainingcollege.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/dogtrainingcollege/?ref=br_rs
absoluteDOGS:
https://www.facebook.com/absolutedogs/
Animal Education 100 days of enrichment
https://www.facebook.com/groups/226077658280504/
Spiritdog, online challenges
https://www.facebook.com/SpiritDogTrain/
Enjoy the sunshine and keep yourself and your pets safe in the heat! 🐶🌞☀️
