Ten top tips for hot dogs and cool cats are:
- Make sure there is cool, fresh water available at all times. Leave this in a shady area.
- On really hot days it might be worth leaving multiple bowls of cool water in the shade that can’t be tipped over.
- Keep an eye on older pets as they will be more susceptible to the heat particularly if they have problems with their breathing.
- Dogs love to sit in the sun, but prolonged sun exposure can quickly lead to heat exhaustion and can cause skin cancers so it’s important to provide them with a shaded area.
- One way to provide relief from the heat is to fill the kids’ paddling pool with a couple of inches of water and leave this in a shady spot for your dog to sit in.
- Tossing a few ice cubes in your dog or cat’s water bowl can help to keep their temperature down and provide some relief on a hot day.
- If you don’t have air conditioning think about leaving a fan on during those really hot days in the height of summer.
- Try to exercise your dog in the early morning or the late evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.
- Consider putting some treats in the freezer. These can be given to your pet as a pet popsicle on really hot days. They’ll help cool your pet down and give them something to do when you’re out.
- If you own a long haired dog, consider giving them a trim to help them cope better with the hotter summer months.
Your local vet can give you further advice about ways to keep you pet cool during the summer months.
