Heat stress warning!!!!!

We already ran this article in one of our previous issues but unfortunately we have seen a lot of animals in the clinic during the last few months that are suffering from heat stress and despite our best efforts quite a few have passed away as they were beyond help.
 

Therefore we would like to warn you again: your pets suffer from the heat and the humidity even more and quicker then you do!!
 

Here is a list of do’s and don’ts to protect your pet from the heat
 

• Never keep your pet in your car without the AC on. Not even for a few minutes. Open windows are not sufficient.
• Do not walk your dog during the heat of day. Schedule them for early morning and evenings when the temperatures have dropped a bit and it is cooler. This also prevents them from burning their paws on the hot asphalt.
• Do not walk your dog for too long. A short walk in high temperatures is already very hard work for your dog. Try to walk in shady areas as much as possible
• Be extra careful with snub nosed pets, they suffer extra when it is hot because they have more problems regulating their body temperature than other breeds.
• Make sure that they always have access to fresh water
• Keep your pet indoors preferably in an air-conditioned area
• If you do have to take a car journey with your animal make sure the destination is animal-friendly.
• Pets can get sun burn just like people. Especially the light coloured pets are prone to sunburn on the exposed parts of their body (ears, nose, etc). Check with your veterinarian for a pet-safe sun screen.
• A cool wet towel on a tile floor helps to cool down your pet
• Leftover pet food can quickly go off in hot weather so discard any scraps as soon as possible to avoid an upset stomach in your pet (and flies in your house).