How to Keep Your Pets Cool and Comfortable in Extreme Heat
Heat stress can be dangerous to animals, but there are plenty of ways you can help them chill out when the mercury rises
Animals don’t have the same body-cooling mechanisms as we do, so they really do rely on us to keep them cool and safe when the temperature soars. Much of this involves common sense – offering shade, plenty of water and ventilation. But there are some other simple yet effective strategies that can make a huge difference to their comfort and ability to cope with the heat.
Dr Ian Murdoch from Pennant Hills Veterinary Hospital, and RSCPA NSW veterinary scientific officer Dr Jade Norris, share their expert advice on how to keep pets of all shapes and sizes cool.
Dr Ian Murdoch from Pennant Hills Veterinary Hospital, and RSCPA NSW veterinary scientific officer Dr Jade Norris, share their expert advice on how to keep pets of all shapes and sizes cool.
Bring pets inside
The first thing you can do to help your pets on a scorching hot day is to move them into a cooler – possibly air-conditioned – environment. “Find the coolest, shadiest place with good airflow and plenty of readily accessible cool drinking water,” says Dr Murdoch. And don’t forget to ensure that they can still access a toilet area.
“Animals in hutches or cages such as rabbits and guinea pigs must be brought indoors, as hutches and cages can rapidly become very hot, leading to a horrible death,” says Dr Norris.
The first thing you can do to help your pets on a scorching hot day is to move them into a cooler – possibly air-conditioned – environment. “Find the coolest, shadiest place with good airflow and plenty of readily accessible cool drinking water,” says Dr Murdoch. And don’t forget to ensure that they can still access a toilet area.
“Animals in hutches or cages such as rabbits and guinea pigs must be brought indoors, as hutches and cages can rapidly become very hot, leading to a horrible death,” says Dr Norris.
If your home isn’t air-conditioned, take your pets into the coolest part of the house – the bathroom, laundry or a room with a tiled floor is ideal. Turn on a fan, and if your furry friend still seems uncomfortable, consider wetting them down or draping them in a wet towel to increase the evaporative cooling.
Step-by-Step Guide to Remove Pet Odours and Hair From Your Home
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What if you’re out for the day?
“If animals have to be left outdoors in the backyard they must have access to a cool area where they will be able to maintain normal body temperature throughout the entire day, with plenty of shade, ventilation and fresh drinking water,” advises Dr Norris.
Safety reminder: Never tether a dog on a hot day, Dr Norris adds. “If a dog is tethered they can become tangled and might be unable to reach their water or shade.”
“If animals have to be left outdoors in the backyard they must have access to a cool area where they will be able to maintain normal body temperature throughout the entire day, with plenty of shade, ventilation and fresh drinking water,” advises Dr Norris.
Safety reminder: Never tether a dog on a hot day, Dr Norris adds. “If a dog is tethered they can become tangled and might be unable to reach their water or shade.”
Plenty of fresh water
Place several bowls of fresh, cool water out for your pets. Dr Murdoch suggests adding a little ice to the water bowls: “This keeps the water cool for longer. But you don’t want more ice than water – if drinking water is too icy or cold, animals might not drink it.”
Place several bowls of fresh, cool water out for your pets. Dr Murdoch suggests adding a little ice to the water bowls: “This keeps the water cool for longer. But you don’t want more ice than water – if drinking water is too icy or cold, animals might not drink it.”
Haircuts help
Prepare your long-haired dogs for summer by clipping their fur. This is particularly helpful as dogs begin to age, says Dr Murdoch.
“This will cause some arguments with readers as it is common for some to suggest that dogs’ coats insulate them from the the heat. I find this illogical: do we put on lots of coats when we get hot? I can also speak from my experiences as a vet and a pet owner, where I have seen dogs dramatically improve their ability to enjoy the summer heat after clipping off.”
Dr Murdoch adds that clipping a long-haired dog’s fur also makes it easier to find ticks in the summer.
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Prepare your long-haired dogs for summer by clipping their fur. This is particularly helpful as dogs begin to age, says Dr Murdoch.
“This will cause some arguments with readers as it is common for some to suggest that dogs’ coats insulate them from the the heat. I find this illogical: do we put on lots of coats when we get hot? I can also speak from my experiences as a vet and a pet owner, where I have seen dogs dramatically improve their ability to enjoy the summer heat after clipping off.”
Dr Murdoch adds that clipping a long-haired dog’s fur also makes it easier to find ticks in the summer.
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More cool tips for dogs and cats
- Both vets advise not to exercise dogs during the heat of the day. Take them out in the cool of the morning or evening.
- Dr Norris says that some dogs will love the chance to splash about in a paddling pool: “Add some water to a shallow level so your dog can lie partially in the water but does not become submerged. And always supervise pets around water.”
- Another great trick is to cool a ceramic tile, towel or oven baking tray in the fridge or freezer and put it out for small dogs and cats to lie on.
- Never leave a dog on the back of a ute or inside a car. Even when the car is in the shade with the windows down, temperatures inside can rise to fatal levels in a matter of minutes. “Dogs die horribly from heat stress in cars and can also die on the back of utes from heat stress,” Dr Norris warns. “Dogs on utes can also burn their footpads on hot ute trays.”
Identify and treat heat stress in dogs and cats
Heat stress – or heat exhaustion – occurs when an animal’s core body temperature rises significantly. It can quickly escalate into heatstroke, which is a life-threatening condition. On hot days, monitor your dogs and cats carefully for any of the following signs of heat stress or heatstroke:
Heat stress – or heat exhaustion – occurs when an animal’s core body temperature rises significantly. It can quickly escalate into heatstroke, which is a life-threatening condition. On hot days, monitor your dogs and cats carefully for any of the following signs of heat stress or heatstroke:
- excessive panting (heat-stressed cats will pant with their mouth open),
- salivating and drooling,
- bulging tongue and eyes,
- unsettled behaviour – agitation, restlessness, anxiousness,
- confusion,
- unsteady walking, seizures or convulsions,
- vomiting, diarrhoea,
- lethargy,
- collapse, or
- coma.
If you catch the symptoms of heat exhaustion early on, Dr Murdoch advises to immediately wet the dog or cat down to help cool them off. Put them in a cool or tepid bath – never use ice-cold water as this can exacerbate the problem – or spray their fur and skin with cool or tepid water. Use a fan to maximise heat loss.
It’s important to get your dog or cat to an emergency vet as quickly as possible. “Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency, so even if your pet looks like they may be recovering or you just suspect they might have suffered heatstroke, they should still always be checked by a vet,” Dr Norris says. “Heatstroke can cause organ damage, which might not appear straight away. Given the seriousness of this condition, it is better to be safe than sorry and have your pet checked out.”
It’s important to get your dog or cat to an emergency vet as quickly as possible. “Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency, so even if your pet looks like they may be recovering or you just suspect they might have suffered heatstroke, they should still always be checked by a vet,” Dr Norris says. “Heatstroke can cause organ damage, which might not appear straight away. Given the seriousness of this condition, it is better to be safe than sorry and have your pet checked out.”
Keeping small, furry friends cool
The vets recommend that caged animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats and mice be brought indoors.
“Cages and hutches become death traps and rabbits and guinea pigs cannot escape,” says Dr Norris. “If it is impossible to bring caged animals indoors, the cage or hutch must be kept in an area that will remain cool, shaded and well-ventilated, and [you need to] provide plenty of drinking water.”
Remember also that shade can disappear as the sun moves throughout the day. So check pets regularly and continue moving the enclosure into the shade.
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The vets recommend that caged animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats and mice be brought indoors.
“Cages and hutches become death traps and rabbits and guinea pigs cannot escape,” says Dr Norris. “If it is impossible to bring caged animals indoors, the cage or hutch must be kept in an area that will remain cool, shaded and well-ventilated, and [you need to] provide plenty of drinking water.”
Remember also that shade can disappear as the sun moves throughout the day. So check pets regularly and continue moving the enclosure into the shade.
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Other ways to keep rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats and mice cool include:
- Wet down their daily vegetables with cool water.
- Ensure they have plenty of leafy greens to munch on.
- Cover the bottle that supplies the drinker in foil or heat reflective material, and keep refreshing it with cool water.
- Wrap frozen cooler blocks in towels and place them throughout the hutch.
- Wet the roof of the hutch.
- When buying or building a hutch, include insulation in the roof section.
Identify and treat heat stress in small animals
“If you think or even just suspect that your pet is suffering from heat stroke, immediately remove them from the heat into a cool area, and urgently call an RSPCA veterinary hospital or your local veterinarian for advice,” Dr Norris says.
- Guinea pigs require particular vigilance as they can succumb to heatstroke very quickly when exposed to temperatures above 30° Celsius. A heat-stressed guinea pig will display rapid, open-mouthed breathing, salivation and lethargy.
- In rabbits, symptoms include rapid breathing, panting open-mouthed, salivation, and body stretched out.
- Heat-stressed rats will have an increased breathing rate, increased grooming, will lie stretched out and are irritable.
“If you think or even just suspect that your pet is suffering from heat stroke, immediately remove them from the heat into a cool area, and urgently call an RSPCA veterinary hospital or your local veterinarian for advice,” Dr Norris says.
Keeping birds cool
Caged birds should be brought inside if at all possible. For birds that live outdoors in pens or aviaries, ensure they can access shade all day and provide plenty of fresh, cool water. Other cooling strategies for birds include:
Caged birds should be brought inside if at all possible. For birds that live outdoors in pens or aviaries, ensure they can access shade all day and provide plenty of fresh, cool water. Other cooling strategies for birds include:
- Gently mist pet birds with a spray bottle (only if they like it!).
- Larger birds will sometimes like to be sprinkled with the hose, or you could put a sprinkler on in, or next to, the chicken enclosure.
- Provide shallow water bowls for them to bathe in (with supervision).
Identify and treat heat stress in birds
A bird that is suffering from heat stress will pant or mouth breathe and hold their wings out. They may appear confused or agitated, or become lethargic and weak. Move the bird to a shaded area, cool them down with a fan and mist with water.
“Just be careful with small birds that you don’t go too far the other way once they have cooled down, as they will lose heat very quickly,” Dr Murdoch says. If you are concerned, contact a veterinarian for advice urgently.
A bird that is suffering from heat stress will pant or mouth breathe and hold their wings out. They may appear confused or agitated, or become lethargic and weak. Move the bird to a shaded area, cool them down with a fan and mist with water.
“Just be careful with small birds that you don’t go too far the other way once they have cooled down, as they will lose heat very quickly,” Dr Murdoch says. If you are concerned, contact a veterinarian for advice urgently.
Assisting local wildlife on hot days
Many of us share our gardens with the local wildlife – birds, small mammals and reptiles. Most wild animals find human contact stressful, so the best way we can help them during heatwaves is to leave bowls of fresh water in different shady locations around the yard.
Change the water daily or more frequently to keep it fresh. “Place the bowls at different heights so they are out of reach of pets or predators,” says a spokesperson from the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc (WIRES).
If you find wildlife suffering from heat stress (panting, lying down, weak, collapsed, convulsing or unconscious) Dr Norris suggests gently collecting them, removing them from the heat and placing them in a cool, quiet, shaded area. Contact a veterinarian urgently. You can also seek advice from the wildlife rescue organisation in your state.
Many of us share our gardens with the local wildlife – birds, small mammals and reptiles. Most wild animals find human contact stressful, so the best way we can help them during heatwaves is to leave bowls of fresh water in different shady locations around the yard.
Change the water daily or more frequently to keep it fresh. “Place the bowls at different heights so they are out of reach of pets or predators,” says a spokesperson from the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc (WIRES).
If you find wildlife suffering from heat stress (panting, lying down, weak, collapsed, convulsing or unconscious) Dr Norris suggests gently collecting them, removing them from the heat and placing them in a cool, quiet, shaded area. Contact a veterinarian urgently. You can also seek advice from the wildlife rescue organisation in your state.
Your turn
How do you keep your pet cool on those stinking hot days? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
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How do you keep your pet cool on those stinking hot days? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more seasonal advice? Don’t miss: Buzz Off! How to Keep Mozzies Away Without the Spray
Dr Murdoch says that guinea pigs and rabbits – especially the longer-haired varieties – are particularly vulnerable to heat stress and require close monitoring and care on scorching hot days.
Certain dogs are also less able to cope with heat, including:
- dogs with anatomical airway problems such as pugs, pekingese, bulldogs (dogs described as brachycephalic in skull type),
- old dogs,
- dogs with illnesses such as heart disease and kidney disease,
- dogs with dark-coloured coats and long-haired breeds, and
- giant dog breeds.
Obese animals will also suffer more with heat stress than their leaner counterparts, Dr Murdoch adds.