20/05/2026
☀️ HEAT WARNING: The weather is heating up this weekend! ☀️
Our pets cope with heat very differently than we do, and heatstroke can escalate incredibly quickly. Here is your quick guide to keeping your dogs, cats, and rabbits safe this weekend.
🚨 Signs of Heatstroke
Dogs: Heavy panting, excessive drooling, dark red/sticky gums, lethargy, or vomiting.
Cats: Panting (cats should never regularly pant), drooling, stumbling, or restlessness.
Rabbits: Extreme lethargy, breathing with an open mouth, very hot ears, or collapse.
🩺 Emergency First Aid (Act Fast!)
Call your vet immediately.
Move them into the shade or a cool room.
Pour cool (not ice cold) water over their body or lay them on a damp towel. Ice cold water can cause shock.
Offer fresh water (don't force them to drink) and use a fan to circulate air.
🐾 Top Prevention Tips
🐶 Dogs: Walk only in the early morning or late evening. Do the 5-Second Tarmac Test (if it's too hot for the back of your hand, it's too hot for their paws). Never leave a dog in a hot car.
🐱 Cats: Keep curtains closed to create cool zones. Place multiple water bowls or fountains around the house to encourage hydration.
🐰 Rabbits (Highly Vulnerable!): Move hutches completely out of the sun. Freeze plastic water bottles, wrap them in a towel, and place them in their enclosure for them to lie against.
👋 Need extra cooling gear or advice? Pop into our Brentwood Wellness Centre or our 24 hour hospital in Upminster, we stock cooling mats, hydration supplements, and are always here to help.
Stay cool and safe this weekend! 😎🐾
