18/06/2025
Make sure you’re not leaving outdoor pets in hutches in the sun. If you can, bring them inside to “chill” on these hot days. They’d love a cold kitchen or utility floor. If that’s not a possibility then make sure they’re in the shade and give them ice blocks or simply freeze a plastic bottle of water or freeze a “hot water bottle” and pop that in with them wrapped in a thin towel.
Keep water topped up and maybe an extra bowl or bottle just in case x
⚠️ An AMBER heat warning has been issued from 12 noon today until Sunday with temperatures predicted to reach 30°C ⚠️
🏖 Please take extra care of your pets and yourselves. The following advice and information is from Veterinary Voices UK. Please follow and check out their page, it is full of useful, reliable advice.
➡️ Dogs DO NOT DIE from missing a walk, they might if you risk taking them out in these temperatures.
➡️Yes, veterinary professionals are extremely good at treating heatstroke, and many cases can be saved, but it's a dangerous risk that is not worth it.
☀️ Protect your animals from the heat ☀️
🌞Dogs can get heat stroke on hot walks
🌞Animals get heatstroke in hot hutches they cannot escape
🌞Animals can get heatstroke if left in rooms with no ventilation
🌞Animals can get heatstroke if they have no access to cool water
We are hopefully aware now of the national UK campaign 'Dogs Die in Hot Cars' - this advice remains!
However, work by VetCompass has shown that 10 times as many dogs present for veterinary care related to heat-related illness (HRI) following exercise as dogs that present following being entrapped in a vehicle.
➡️Remember there could be a number of risk factors including:
✅Brachycephalic (flat faced) breeds
✅Age - juvenile or geriatric
✅Thick Coated Dogs
✅General Health
✅ Other illnesses
❌Do not leave animals in hot cars
❌Don't take your dog along on family outings or to the pub where there cannot escape the heat
❌Do not walk your dogs in the heat - remember even when the sun is down they may still get too hot while exercising if the temperature is still hot
❌ Ensure they aren't locked in rooms with no ventilation
❌Do not lock rabbits and guinea pigs in hutches with no escape from the heat
✅ Provide plentiful cool, fresh water
✅ Provide shade, ventilation and cool breeze ( consider using a fan)
✅Give them cool mats to lie on
✅ Engage in enrichment to boredom bust
✅ Provide rabbits and small furries with cool frozen bottles, shade, ventilation, escape from the heat and plentiful water