How Best to Protect your Pets during a Heatwave
The past few years have seen record-breaking heatwaves strike across almost every corner of the globe, taking a huge toll on the economy and increasingly impacting human health. However, there appears a widespread lack of understanding about the dangers posed to domestic animals during periods of extreme heat. Read on to discover more about the risks heat presents to our pets and how to mitigate them.
The British are a people renowned for loving their pets, as well as having them in abundance. According to a recent survey, there are an estimated 13.5 million dogs and 12.5 million cats living in homes across the British isles, equating to approximately one of either pet for every household. Clearly, our furry friends are an integral part of the culture here and most pet owners would do anything in their power to keep them safe.
That being said, as the growing incidence of heatwaves have left us all scrambling to keep ourselves cool and safe, there appears to be a distinct lack of awareness amongst the general population regarding how the heat impacts our pets. Namely, few seem to understand how to recognise the signs of heat-related illness (HRI) in their pets, what factors put their pets at risk, and what they can do to safeguard them during the hottest periods of the year.
With this in mind, we decided to put together this all-in-one explainer to provide crucial guidance on what to look out for and how best to mitigate the effects of heat on our pets, focusing on cats and dogs.
More than just hot cars
Pets are generally considered to be at greater risk of extreme heat and suffering from HRI than are humans, due to a number of factors. Not only are humans adept thermoregulators in terms of our behaviour, such as being able to add or remove items of clothing or change the thermostat to reach a more comfortable temperature (a luxury not enjoyed by our pets), but the makeup of our physiology means we are able to lose heat much more easily.
One major factor relates to how pets lose heat through evaporative means. We as humans have sweat glands dotted across almost every inch of our skin, allowing us to lose heat energy through transferring it to the water on our bodies as it evaporates. Many animals, including both cats and dogs, are unable to do so, with the only sweat glands they possess being found on the small-sized footpads on their paws. The primary means through which pets, particularly dogs, lose heat is through panting, a mechanism that works very similarly to sweating, albeit markedly less efficient. Hence why dogs in the midday Sun breathe as if they have run a marathon or two - it’s just their way of cooling off.
As a result, both cats and dogs often struggle to keep their internal body temperatures low during prolonged periods of high heat, meaning that without human intervention they could likely fall victim to diseases like heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the latter of which can often be fatal.
Bred-in susceptibility
Of course, despite our pets being more disposed to heat-related illness than most of us, there are several factors that can dictate their level of susceptibility.
One factor that has gained a lot more attention in recent years, particularly as the debate surrounding the ethics of pedigree grows, is in the face and skull shapes of many of our favourite breeds. As cats and dogs have been selectively bred for generations, we have chosen the physical and temperamental attributes we find most appealing in them. Sadly, in a number of instances, we have opted to select those with flatter, more scrunched faces for aesthetic purposes. These are known as ‘brachycephalic’ (meaning “short-headed”) animals. As a result of this, their airways and, by extension, ability to breathe are restricted, depriving them of their primary mechanism of losing heat.
According to a recent study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, where researchers analysed the anonymised clinical records of 900,000 dogs across the UK, there are a list of breeds many times more likely to suffer HRI than average, all invariably brachycephalic. Specifically, these breeds included the Chow Chow (x17 more likely), the Bulldog (x14), the French Bulldog (x6), the Dogue de Bordeaux (x5), and the Greyhound (x4).
Other risk factors for pets include being over- or underweight, having thicker fur, being either very old or very young, or having a pre-existing health condition, namely those of the cardiovascular system.
Hot and bothered - key signs to look out for
A seeming challenge in helping our pets stay cool during the summer is that, in the absence of being able to directly tell us something is wrong, the signs that they are suffering in the heat are often subtle and go undetected. And it is of crucial importance that we recognise if something is amiss, as diseases like heat stroke are frequently lethal in pets; according to the study cited above, of the dogs they recorded as having suffered from heat stroke, 1 in 7 of them died as a result of their condition.
However, data does exist on the symptoms cats and dogs display when verging on HRI, many of which it should be noted are less easily recognisable in cats. For example, pet owners should be on the lookout for the following early signs:
Excessive panting and ragged breathing;
Increased drooling, and red gums or tongue;
More agitated behaviour and restlessness;
Seeking out shade or water to a greater extent;
Increased heart rate;
Vomiting or diarrhoea.
With a lack of intervention, the condition will progress to become more serious, at which point the symptoms will change. They will likely include the animal acting more confused, lethargic, unstable, weaker, and might even succumb to a seizure.
Cool spots and ample water - Prevention is Key
Recognising the signs and symptoms of HRI in your pets is clearly an important skill when the summer months hit, but as with any condition, prevention plays the biggest role in safeguarding animals from potentially life-threatening illness. No longer is it simply a case of making sure your Yorkshire Terrier isn’t left in a boiling hot car for hours on end, as there are many things you can actively do for your pets to ensure that they don’t have to suffer unnecessarily.
As such, there are several simple things you can do to prevent overheating. These include:
Limiting exercise: Many think pets, especially dogs, will require a certain amount of exercise each week. However, in order to prevent heat exposure, this should be limited to early in the morning or late in the evening. Also, if temperatures outside are too oppressive, pets can happily for a few days without going outside.
Providing ample hydration: Ensure your pets have constant access to water. As their water bowls will likely dry out during the day, remain diligent in making sure they are topped up regularly. Staying hydrated is the best way to stave off the heat.
Regulating indoor temperatures: As you would to protect yourself during heatwaves, keep your lived environment cool by keeping windows and curtains closed during the hottest periods of the day, only opening them to allow a cool breeze to enter in the evening.
Offering cooling stations: These can include giving treats, such as frozen fruit or ice to your pets when it is hot, or even a cooling mat (out of the sunlight) where they can relax. Placing an indoor fan next to this spot can provide further support.
On top of this, something less well known amongst pet owners is the potential for sunburn. Usually affecting only hairless breeds of cats and dogs, sunburn can be debilitating for a pet and, if they suffer through repeated exposure, this can develop into more serious conditions such as skin cancer. Fortunately, sunscreen does exist that is tailor-made for our pets, which is free of the usual sun-protective zinc (to which most pets are allergic).
Treating Heat Stroke
This all said, if someone’s pet does start showing the signs of either heat exhaustion or heat stroke, it is essential to act quickly. As discussed above, the lethality of HRI in pets can be very high, particularly if they are already extra susceptible to the condition.
Most importantly, if these symptoms do arise, the first thing to do is to contact your local veterinary specialists. Whilst there are many things that can be done to cool down our pets and reduce their likelihood of serious illness, only a consultation with an expert can guarantee that they won’t suffer the worst effects of HRI.
Methods to treat heat stroke, if pets should suffer from it, include:
Return them to a cooling station: In these cases, it is paramount to return your pet’s body temperature down to a suitable range. As stated above, this can include providing cooling treats or well-ventilated spaces, where they can escape momentarily from the heat.
Providing hydration: Heat stroke commonly follows dehydration, so it is important to ensure pets have access to water. If they do suffer from heat stroke, encourage them to drink water by placing their bowl next to them, but do not try to force them to drink.
Immersing in cool water: As dogs cannot sweat themselves, providing water to them on their skin can allow for evaporative cooling. Ensure that the water is cool and not too cold, as cold water can cause blood vessels to constrict (vasoconstriction), reducing blood flow to the skin. Furthermore, it can cause trembling, which can actually increase body temperature.
Again, once this pet first aid is administered, be sure to take them to a veterinary professional to check their condition.
As the climate warms and the built infrastructure, particularly in countries like the UK where we seem to lag behind, hasn’t made headways in terms of climate resilience, we need to improve our understanding of how to keep both ourselves and our pets safe. That is why we decided to put together this complete guidance on how to keep your pets safe during heatwaves.
For more information on our work at Shade the UK, please visit our website.
