20/06/2025
Paws up who's loving this summer weather!?🌞🙌
PSA 📣 No dog died from missing a walk, but many dogs have died as a result of being exercised in hot weather!
While out and about in Harrogate on visits this week we have seen an alarming number of dogs being walked in the midday sun.... please please be careful, heatstroke in dogs is real and very dangerous!! I've treated many dogs (and a few cats) with heat stroke and it is often fatal, which is heart breaking. Dogs really struggle in the heat - they cannot sweat so they cool themselves down by panting.
☀️Dogs die quickly in hot cars - even if they're only left for a few minutes!
☀️Dogs often get heat stroke on hot walks
☀️Animals can get heatstroke if they have no access to cool water
10 times as many dogs present for veterinary care for heatstroke after being exercised in hot weather than present following being entrapped in a car. Flat-faced breeds such as pugs or French bulldogs are at an even bigger risk of heatstroke.
❌Do not leave animals in hot cars
❌Ensure they aren't locked in rooms (or conservatories) with no ventilation
❌Provide access to plenty of cool, clean water
❌Do not exercise in the heat
👀 Watch out for these canine heat stroke signs:
🌡Heavy panting and/or excessive drooling
🌡Lethargy, drowsiness or poor co-ordination
🌡Vomiting or collapse
🌡Seizures or coma
If a dog is suffering from signs of heatstroke you should:
✅Bring your dog inside into a shady, well ventilated, cool room, use a fan if available
✅Call your local vets and follow their instructions
✅Cool them down by pouring cold water on them or immerse them in water colder than themselves. Not necessarily iced water (depending on your dogs age/other conditions) but definitely COLD water
✅Offer them a small drink of cool water, don't allow they to lap up huge quantities at once in case they vomit
✅Travel to the vets in a cold, air-conditioned car
👀Tepid water is outdated advice, use cold water/water colder than they are. Get them wet, get them to the vet!
👀Do not cover with a wet towel to try to cool them, you insulate the heat in and will make it worse!
BUT...PREVENTION is better than cure...
☀️Walk dogs early or later when it's cooler and keep walks short, this is so they don't overheat but also to protect their feet on hot concrete
☀️Make sure fresh water and shade is always available
☀️Don't keep pets in hot cars-for ANY length of time-EVEN if your windows are down!
☀️Garden sprinklers, paddling pools, cool mats, damp towels, hot water bottles with cold water/frozen bottles can all help to provide cooler areas for your pet
☀️Use pet safe sun cream for white cats ear tips and noses and for any lighter areas or bald spots on dogs and cats......some male pooches can be prone to burnt danglies so make sure any sun loving dogs have a little suncream on their testicles too!!
☀️Keep rabbits and small furries cool too, provide shade and plenty of fresh drinking water and or frozen bottles
☀️Check rabbit bottoms (or any pet with any urinary incontinence) daily for flies...fly strike is also very real, progresses quickly and is heart breaking
☀️Any brachycephalic breeds (flat faced eg Bulldogs, Frenchies, Pugs) take it REALLY steady in this warmer weather and consider just staying home and keeping calm and cool. No dog ever got into trouble for missing a walk but for the wrong dog in the wrong weather, one walk could have serious consequences
Some more top tips on the page and links below
Veterinary Voices UK
www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/small-animal-vet/teaching-and-research/fact-files/heatstroke-in-dogs-and-cats
🐕🏡🐈🏡🐰
Robin's Nest Vets. Independent Mobile Vets in Harrogate. 🐕🏡🐈🏡🐰🏡
If you want to book an appointment, ask us about our services or just say hello feel free to drop us a message, email us on [email protected] or give us a call on 07949271570 🥰 we would love to hear from you!
