If you follow me on Instagram or are a friend of mine on Facebook, you will have seen me posting a lot about these insane temperatures the UK is currently having. Climate change is something I feel strongly about and actively do things in my daily life to make sure I am contributing to it as minimally as possible. People seem to think that Climate change is only to do with the ice caps and polar bears or that it won't affect us anytime soon but it is very real and it is here now. It has been evident and affecting us for years but only now when temperatures are reaching all-time highs and putting human lives at risk are people starting to care. Even then, most people still aren't making the connections...though climate change is a subject for another post. This is about heat and keeping our animals safe during this uncomfortable and dangerous time.
I am saying animals and not pets because I hope that some of the tips in this post will be put to use to also help protect our precious wildlife as well as our pets. Let's get into it.
Keeping them safe is literally a life-and-death situation.
Signs of heatstroke in cats include:
Restlessness
Panting
Unusual Drooling
Excessive Grooming trying to cool off
Sweaty Feet
Elevated Heart Rate
Redness of tongue and mouth
Lethargy
Being Sick
Stumbling
And signs in small mammals:
Drooling
Fast, Sharp Breathing
Being Lethargic
Having Fits or Falling Unconscious
Ears and/or Feet being unusually hot
If your animal is suffereing from heatstroke you need to contact your nearest vet immediatly.
Move them into shade, spray tepid (not ice-cold!) water onto them, help them to have sips of water.
Stay calm and comfort them. However, it is an emergency situation and they need help now.
Prevention is key!
Water!
Water is life. We cannot survive without water and it is taken far too for granted in this day and age.
As well as us staying hydrated, we must provide a constant supply of fresh, cold water for the animals.
Plastic bowls should be avoided as they heat up, just like plastic water bottles do. Opt for ceramic bowls to keep the water cooler longer.
When it comes to cats encourage them to drink by keeping water and food bowls separate. This is something that cats have become accustomed to over the centuries stemming from their ancestors keeping their hunted food away from the water sources to avoid any contamination and therefore illness.
Some animals also prefer running water as it makes them believe it is fresher and therefore safer to drink than water that may have been sitting for a while. You can get a variety of water fountains online to encourage water intake if your pet really isn't drinking enough.
My last point in relation to water is for the wildlife. With a huge lack of rain and soaring temperatures drying up smaller water supplies, many birds, mammals and amphibians are looking for water. Please, please, please provide fresh, clean water for the wildlife too. Using rainwater to top up mini garden ponds etc is preferable which is where water butt's can come in handy, but as long as the water is clean and fresh you can place bowls and saucers around your garden to help.
Sadly, Bird Flu is also a hugely devastating issue going on right now so you need to keep on top of cleaning out bowls and bird baths!
I have said it many times but I will say it again, water needs to be clean and fresh for wildlife as well as pets.
Weather forcast temperature for this day (16/07) was 22°C.
Direct sun temperature reading was 35°C.
Under the shade temperature reading was 25°C
Stay Shady
There are so many ways to keep your animals cool! The main thing you need to do is stay out of the sun.
Keep animals indoors or if they are outdoor animals make sure they are fully in the shade using umbrellas, awnings, or shade sails if their home is not able to be moved into the shade. Housing like hutches and coops heat up a lot inside so to help combat this you can place large damp towels across the roofs etc.
Back inside the house, these tips can help you and your pets by keeping your home cool:
- Keep the curtains closed! Especially on windows in direct sunlight.
- If the air outside is cool and has a breeze open the windows. Make sure there is no risk to pets getting out or falling from heights. You can use nets to block entry to flies and other bugs.
- If the air outside is hot and still, keep the windows closed! You do not want extra hot air entering the home.
- Place fans in different rooms of the home to keep air circulating. Make sure they are not pointed directly at pets and they can move out of the area if wanted.
- Make use of tile floors by allowing access to pets to lay on them. If you have spare tiles, you can place them in smaller pets and reptiles enclosures to give them the option of laying on them also.
- Ice blocks meant for use in cool boxes or empty cartons or bottles filled with water and frozen can be wrapped in teatowels, pillowcases and the like and left around the home in places pets often frequent.
Do NOT do This!
You'd think it common sense by now, but it still happens on the daily. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CAR! Not even for a moment!! As 'van life' becomes more popular I feel the need to state too that motorhomes, vans and caravans also fall into this, as well as outbuildings, sheds, conservatories and greenhouses.
If you are going somewhere that you cannot take your dog, like a shop or resturant, leave them at home please. They are much safer, happier and comfortable at home with access to shade, water and their usual space.
Quit the walks aswell. I've heard people making excusess such as their dog becomes 'depressed' if they don't get their huge walk everyday! All I have to say is would you rather they died? The popular quote rings true, 'No dog has ever died from missing one walk, but dogs have died from one walk in the heat'.
Mostly your dog needs interaction, attention and love. Play with them at home! Do puzzles, play hide and seek, hide toys and treats for them to find, teach them new tricks. Stimulate their brain and they won't be depressed! Our guy loves balloons so we play passy and piggy in the middle with balloons or toys. Another thing - talk to your dog for goodness sake. At all times of year. Pets thrive through communication and interaction. They are much more intellegent than you give them credit for and if you give them the opportunity to show you, they will!
If for some reason a walk is a complete nesesity, make it:
- Early morning or late evening during the coolest hours of the day.
- Do not allow running or strenuous playing.
- Take water for them with you!
- Walk in the shade as much as possible.
- Avoid hot surfaces like tarmac/concrete roads and paths. (Sand can also get very hot!) Stick to grass if possible.
While on the subject of surfaces to avoid, please be extra aware of some popular garden surfaces that can be very dangerous!
Artifical grass and composite decking have a high plastic content and can retain up to double the temperature of heat. (Artifical grass is also a very sad choice for your garden as it is not wildife friendly).
Keeping Cool and Fun in the Sun.
What if you don't want to stay inside all summer? What if you want to enjoy the weather and have fun in the sun without your pets missing out? Or perhaps you have a head strong pet who is determined to lounge in the sunshine? Again, there are many options to keep them safe!
Did you know that your pets can get sunburn? Light and white haired fur babies are especially prone to sunburn and it can be painful, even leading to skin cancer. Symptoms such as being in pain, having redness, flaky skin, itching and blisters can indicate sunburn and most commonly effects areas like the nose, ears, eyelids, stomach and other places where hair is sparse.
To avoid this keep them in the shade as much as possible and/or apply a pet safe sun cream of at least factor 30. Not all creams are suitable and some contain ingredients toxic to animals so make sure to do your research!
In the garden paddling pools are a known fun way to keep cool for humans and dogs alike. Some like to chase a sprinkler, others play with water toys. Sadly our little guy has decided he no longer likes water (unless it's the sea or a stream) but if that is the case cooling mats and cooling vests are fantastic for a little peace of mind while relaxing outside.
You can also buy some fun frozen treats like pet specific ice creams, but you can also make your own!
I've done posts in the past about home made pet treats, ice lollys and cakes and I may do another with a few recipes with frozen treats in the coming weeks. Until then, please look into what you are putting into your homemade concoctions as animals have many things they cannot eat or it will make them very poorly! (e.g. when using peanut butter make sure it does not contain xylitol!)
If you want them to have fun with an ice treat but don't want them to have any other ingredients you can make an enrichment ice block!
Step 1: Grab a large container that is able to go in the freezer.
Step 2: Gather up some treats and small waterproof toys.
Step 3: Fill container with a small amount of water and a toy or couple of treats.
Step 4: Freeze.
Step 5: Pour another layer of water and add another toy or treats.
Step 6: Freeze and repeat the previous step until the cointainer is full.
Then demold and let them lick, bite, chew and claw their way to coolness!
Other important info...
Brush your furry pets! They will be casting (shedding) a lot at this time but they also need to be groomed by you. Help thin out their coats and in turn cool them down a little more.
We have already drummed in the fact about fresh, clean water haven't we? Well clean is a theme. Keep everything clean. Clean out hutches, cages, litter trays often. Keep on top of any uneaten food and prevent flies and bugs coming near your animals. Fly strike is a risk all year round, but even more so during summer. It isn't nice at all to talk about but I feel that not enough people know about it. It effects everything from chickens and sheep to small animals like rabbits. Read more about the condition here.
When doing garden work, look out for little buddies. So many injuries to wildlife can be avoided by just checking before cutting the grass, not leaving out kids toys or football nets, moving logs and fire building materials before lighting fire pits etc.
To help out wildlife even more, you can buy or make insect hotels, hedgehog lodges, leave areas of your garden to grow long and have shady spaces for them to relax.
This point is less practical because we can't do anything first hand, however right now live stock on farms are suffering immensely. These beautiful creatures are nothing but a number to the 'farmers' and sadly they are not held to as a high a standard of care than other animals. These temperatures have cooked cows to death in the fields, sheep are being eaten alive by maggots, chickens are confinded in hot, smell, dark, crampt barns and so many other horrendous things. We must overhaul animal agricuture. For the animals and for the environment/climate change. Consider going vegan and supporting local rescues. Sign petitions, email your government representatives, do whatever you can. Please.
Animal welfare is a subject I'm extremely passionate about and I have studied so I like to talk about it whenever I get the opportunity.
I implore you to look after our animals, always, but extra so in extreme temperatures. Our wonderful wildlife, precious pets and animals of all shapes and sizes deserve the best treatment and care possible. Help the helpless. Do whatever you can to make life safer and more bareable for all creatures great and small.
Hoepfully this post has been somewhat informative. It'd be awsome if you could share it far and wide to reach more animal parents and wildlife lovers. Thank you.
Extra information can be found here > Blue Cross Summer survival guide for pets
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