Well what a beautiful Easter weather we are having but whilst it makes all the difference to us humans and raises those spirits from the gloomy winter months. Please do remember the effect it has on your much loved pets, something I and the Scamps and Champs Reigate team are so conscious of and make sure all our clients have the support if they you unable to be there during the day. The continuing changeable weather also makes it challenging for pets to acclimatise to the heat, making sudden, un-seasonal hot spells even more dangerous.
Dogs rely on panting as their main method of cooling – but it only controls body temperature up to a point. As temperatures and humidity rise, panting is no longer able to cool them and it can lead to potentially fatal heatstroke. I am sure by now we are all well aware of the dangers of leaving dogs in cars during warm weather, but Scamps and Champs Reigate pet care services just wanted to reiterate with some handy advice on keeping your pets safe when the temperatures rise.
Don’t leave animals in cars even in the shade, car temperatures can increase quickly and as the sun moves and shade disappears the internal car temperature will rapidly increase. Leaving windows partially open has little effect on car temperature, Instead, if you are stuck in traffic or travelling, have the air conditioning on to keep the car cool and make sure windows are shaded from direct sunlight. Ideally, leave your dog at home in hot weather, however be conscious that conservatories and greenhouses can have similar affects to cars.
Avoid the hottest part of the day it’s best for pets not to stay outside in the hottest part of the day. Take dogs for walks in cooler parts of the day in the early morning or evening and avoid any strenuous exercise in the heat. Cats need shade and water too in fact all pets need access to cool water and shade to keep their temperature down don’t forget your small furries like rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs. If your pet is unfit, obese or suffers from a respiratory disorder, you should be particularly careful exercising in hot or humid conditions.
You should ideally make sure you supervise activity as pets themselves won’t know when to stop in the sun. Scamps and Champs Reigate dog walking and pet care services will be happy to help with this even if it is just to pop in to check up on your loved ones and make sure they are keeping cool.
What to do if you suspect your pet has heatstroke Signs: Rapid, heavy breathing, lack of energy, decreased urine production, bulging eyes, and the tongue appearing long and dark red. Vomiting and/or diarrhoea can follow. If you think your dog has heatstroke, get it to a vet as quickly as possible. Avoid using ice or very cold water as this can cause blood vessels on the skin surface to constrict and reduce effective cooling. It can also cause shivering which can create more heat from the muscles. Key areas to cool are the neck, abdomen and inner thighs with lukewarm water or water-soaked towels. It is important that you do not over cool your dog, as this can lead to shock – a lack of blood supply to vital organs – so using lukewarm water is important. Out and about, cool surfaces, shade, air conditioning in cars and fans can also aid cooling. Even if the dog is cooled, veterinary treatment is still key to allow more targeted treatment and monitoring to occur.
I am sure all your pets are always looked after and you would never allow them to be overheated but I just wanted to put this together so you know if you are having to go out and you are worried and you have pets in the Reigate, Redhill, Banstead, Dorking and surrounding villages please do get in touch and Scamps and Champs Reigate branch will do all we can to help.
To learn more about our pet care services in Reigate and the surrounding areas including; dog walking, dog sitting, cat sitting, overnight pet sitting and our wedding pet chaperone service. Simply visit Scamps and Champs Reigate.
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