11/07/2025
☀️ Get your sun hats ready 👒
As we enter another heatwave in the UK, here are some top tips to keep your pets safe in the heat :
- Make sure all pets always have access to fresh drinking water, adequate ventilation and shade from direct sunlight at all times. Providing them with a cool mat and/or fan can help. For rabbits and guinea pigs, you can provide extra shade by covering the top of wire mesh runs with damp towels, ensure their hutches and runs are not becoming overheated. Lightly misting rabbits’ ears with cold water is also an effective way to help cool them, as long as this doesn’t stress them.
- Don’t exercise dogs in the hottest parts of the day: especially older dogs, overweight dogs, flat-faced breeds or dogs that you know have heart or lung problems. Stick to early morning or late evening walks, instead of walking you could do some indoor training or scent games etc.
- Do the five-second tarmac test before taking a dog out for a walk - put your palm flat on the tarmac for five seconds - if it feels too hot for you, it’s going to be too hot for your dog’s paws.
- Never leave animals in vehicles. If you see any animal in distress inside a hot car, call 999.
- Keep an eye out for early signs of heatstroke, such as heavy panting, drooling, restlessness, bright red or very pale gums, and lack of coordination. Signs of heatstroke in rabbits can include drooling, salivating, lethargy, short and shallow breaths, red and warm ears, and seizures.
- If heatstroke is suspected, take your pets to a cool, well-ventilated area, offer small amounts of cold water to drink, pour cold water over them to cool them down and then seek immediate advice from your vet.
- Spare a thought for wild animals. Put out shallow bowls of water for wildlife such as birds and hedgehogs.
