Summer – Give Pets Extra Sun Protection!

Summer has arrived, and if you’re feeling the heat, your pet will be too. This is especially the case if your pet is advanced in years, or if they are a breed with brachycephalic features. Brachycephalic animals are those that have rounded heads and ‘blunt’ or ‘pushed in’ faces. Persians and exotic shorthairs are examples of brachycephalic cats while similar features can be found in dog breeds such as Boxers, Pugs, and King Charles Spaniels.

These short muzzled animals have difficulty breathing at the best of times (their airways are like a tight maze of tubes) but in hot summer weather, when cats and dogs need to pant rapidly to help themselves cool down, the job can be doubly difficult if an animal has brachycephalic features. In fact, these animals face a much greater risk of succumbing to heat stroke if they are not helped to cool down.

Brachycephalic animals aren’t the only pets that appreciate a helping hand with keeping cool. Older pets are especially prone to overheating. They may have underlying medical conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory conditions that make regulating body temperatures difficult. These loved oldies, as well as younger pets, all feel the effects of overheating as summer dials up the temperature. Which is where a caring owner can make all the difference.

Simple tips such as popping ice blocks into water dishes can help animals cool down, as can chilling daily rations (don’t freeze dog or cat food as it can damage teeth and gums, but cool it significantly before offering it in bit-sized pieces). Cooling toys (the sort that are filled with water chilled in the freezer) can help in a playful way, to bring down a pet’s temperature, as can a paddling pool sited in a shady spot and filled with water a dog can sit in.

Cats and dogs with long hair will thank you for a trim prior to the hottest months as a way of keeping cool, and also the opportunity to relax on a pet cooling mat – especially, in the case of dogs, after being exercised. Speaking of exercise, rise with the larks to take your dog for a walk in the coolest part of the day, and again in the later evening when it’s cooling down. If you must walk them at another time of the day, consider a cooling vest – these airy, water absorbent vests keep an animal more comfortable on hot days. Don’t forget paw protection, either. Just as you can burn your feet on hot asphalt or beach sand, your dog can suffer in the same way. These sensible pooch-paw covers are far from a gimmick, and some can double as cold protection in snow and ice, as well.

On a simpler level, always make sure your cat and dog has access to shade and cool. Avoid tying them up or placing them in an enclosure if you are not always going to be close at hand – the sun moves and a cat or dog in a cool room in the morning, can find it sweltering by afternoon. If your pet is at home alone, make sure they have free access to the coolest room in the house, and your air con is working to reduce the temperature. Leave multiple non-tip bowls of water about the house. When out and about in the car, avoid leaving animals in a vehicle at any time of the day in summer, even when windows are open.

When travelling with a pet this summer, fix shades to your windows. Line your pet crate with a cooling pet mat or with bottles of frozen water covered with several layers of towels, and use air-con (if you have it) or open windows to help cool down the inside of the vehicle (if opening windows, ensure your pet is well secured). Stop regularly to offer cooling drinks of water (keeping water in a flask filled with ice blocks helps keep the temperature of the liquid cool).

You may have no option but to walk your pet in the heat of the day when travelling. If this is the case, try to keep in the shade, and use pet-friendly (not human) sunscreen on the animal. Rubbing it on the tips of ears, end of the nose, and stomach is recommended by the SPCA.

This summer in the sun, think about your pet as you would yourself – and keep them cool and well protected.