ADVICE FROM THE DOGS TRUST:
Keep your dog happy and healthy in warm weather with five tips for safe fun in the sun.
1. Provide shade and water – Make sure your dog has access to shade and plenty of fresh water throughout the day.
2. Plan your walkies – Walk your dog in the early morning or late in the evening when temperatures are cooler. This will reduce their risk of heatstroke. Be particularly careful if your dog is old, overweight or suffers from breathing difficulties.
3. Do the five second tarmac test – Tarmac can get very hot in the sun and could burn your dog’s paws. Check the pavement with your hand before letting your dog walk on it — hold your hand down for five seconds, if it’s too hot for you, then it’s too hot for your dog’s paws.
4. Don’t let them get burnt – Keep your dog out of direct sunlight where you can. Use pet-safe sun cream on exposed parts of your dog’s skin, like the tips of their ears and nose. Ask your vet for more advice if needed.
5. Check ahead for adventures – If you’re planning a day out somewhere, check whether dogs are welcome. Some public parks and beaches may have Public Space Protection Orders or Dog Control Orders at certain times of year.
What to do if your dog overheats?
If dogs are too hot and can’t reduce their body temperature by panting, they may develop heatstroke which can be fatal.
Heatstroke can affect any type of dog, but certain breeds and types of dog are at increased risk, including brachycephalic or flat-faced breeds such as English Bulldogs, Pugs and French Bulldogs. According to recent research*, English Bulldogs are fourteen times more likely to suffer heat-related illness compared to Labrador Retrievers.
Over a third of owners of flat-faced dogs reported that heat regulation is a problem for their pet.
Symptoms of heatstroke in dogs:
• Panting heavily
• Drooling excessively
• Appears lethargic, drowsy or uncoordinated
• Vomiting Collapsing Diarrhoea
If your dog is showing any of these signs, contact your nearest vet and follow their advice.
Emergency first aid for dogs with heatstroke:
For the best chance of survival, dogs suffering from heatstroke urgently need to have their body temperature lowered, but this needs to be done gradually or they can go into shock. If your dog has collapsed, or is struggling to breathe, call a vet immediately as they may advise attending as a matter of emergency rather than starting treatment yourself.
In milder cases, under the guidance of your vet, you can follow these steps to start lowering your dog’s temperature:
Cooling measures can also be followed whilst travelling to your vet:
Move the dog to a shaded and cool area. Place the dog in the breeze of a fan, or in an air conditioned room. Immediately start pouring small amounts of room temperature (not cold) water onto the dog’s body (cold water may cause shock). Lie them on a cold wet towel or cooling mat. Don’t place a towel or cooling jacket over them as this can raise their temperature. Allow the dog to drink small amounts of room temperature water.
Think twice about any car trips with your dog. If you do have to travel with your dog, plan your journey. Consider travelling at cooler times of the day, identify places to take breaks, and avoid congested roads or busy times of day when you could get caught in traffic.
Never leave your dog in a vehicle. In just 20 minutes, a dog could die in a hot car. Winding a window down is not enough to help your dog stay cool.
IF YOU SEE A DISTRESSED DOG IN A HOT VEHICLE:
It is not advisable to force entry to the vehicle yourself straight away.
Depending on the level of distress, your first step should be to call the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.
If the police don’t have time to get there, then you have to decide if you should take action by forcing entry.
Make sure you tell the police what you intend to do, why and, where possible, take images/footage of the dog and the names and numbers of witnesses to the incident.
The law states that you have a lawful excuse to commit damage if: ‘at the time you believed that the person whom you believe to be entitled to consent to the destruction of or damage to the property in question . . . .would consent to it if s/he . . . had known of the destruction or damage and its circumstances’ (section 5(2)(a) Criminal Damage Act 1971).(this legal reference is slightly modified for clarity). Do not do this without fully assessing the situation, and being prepared to defend your actions in court, in the event of any legal action being taken against you.
The RSPCA can offer guidance or information on cruelty via their cruelty line at any time on 0300 1234 999.
See further advice from the RSPCA on the website in related information.
