Things you can do to help prevent heat stress and problems in your pet include:
- Restrict exercise, especially in the middle of the day
- Avoid walking your dog on hot surfaces. Remember, if you can’t keep the back of your hand on the surface for 5 seconds, it’s too hot to walk your dog on it. If you’re not sure, take your shoes off. If it hurts your feet, it’ll hurt your dogs.
- Make sure your pet has a shaded area to rest
- If possible, bring your pet indoors
- NEVER leave your dog in a car. Even for a few minutes
- Place a fan in your pet’s favourite resting area
- Wet your pet down with cool water
- Put some treats into an icecream container, top it up with water then freeze it. Your pet will love chewing and licking the ice to get the treats out.
Heat stress is an emergency, so if your pet is overheating, take them into a cool area, wet them with cool (not cold) water, and phone your vet for advice.