A guide to protecting your pets from the sun this summer
Pet owners are being reminded to protect their fur babies from the heat this summer or risk a raft of complications. Here are a few expert tips to help animals beat the heat.
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Protect your pets from the scorching sun this summer by implementing a few expert safety tips to help them beat the heat.
RSPCA Victoria chief executive Dr Liz Walker urged pet owners to take extra precautions to ensure their pets remained happy and healthy.
“There are a few key ways to protect your pet from suffering any adverse symptoms in the summer, though ultimately, the best protection is sun avoidance,” she said.
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Just as humans are prone to suffering heat stroke in extreme temperatures, so too are dogs and cats.
However, unlike humans, dogs and cats don’t sweat, which renders them more vulnerable to overheating.
Signs of heat stroke in pets include excessive panting, weakness, high fever, lethargy, vomiting and unresponsiveness.
Ensure your pet has access to extra water and adequate shade in outdoor areas and avoid walking pets during the hottest time of the day.
On days with temperatures above 28C, it’s best to keep pets inside in a cool house with airconditioning.
Tiles in kitchens, laundries and bathrooms can provide a cool spot for them to lie down.
Pay attention to your pet’s paws — if they’re leaving wet paw prints, it’s a sign they are dehydrated. Try cooling them down by dipping their paws in cool water.
While cats use grooming as a way to cool down, a daily brush from their owner can help to remove excess hair and give them a similar feeling to removing a layer of clothes on a hot day.
Some dogs love to play with large iceblocks, which are easy to make at home using ice-cream containers.
Pets can also develop skin cancers over time, which is why it’s critical to be mindful of their sun exposure all year round, but especially in summer. Skin cancers are most common in hairless areas, such as the eyes, nose, eyelids, ears and abdomen.
Special pet sunscreen that can’t be licked off can be applied to the nose and ears of pale-coloured cats when they go outside.
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