With the summer months just around the corner, temperatures naturally rise. While everyone goes out en masse to enjoy the nice weather, the needs of pets are sometimes forgotten. While it is precisely during this period that they need some extra attention. Every year there are a number of fatal cases of overheating in dogs, for example due to owners leaving dogs in cars.
Did you know that the body temperature of a dog and cat can rise up to 40.5 degrees with these high temperatures? This is because dogs and cats have hardly any sweat glands, making it harder for them to lose heat. Cats are slightly more independent, making them a little less susceptible to heat stress.
It is therefore time to take extra good care of pets these hot days! After all, heat can cause stress and be bad for your health.
1. Provide enough shade. You can do this, for example, with the CoolPets Shade Mate.
2. Provide plenty of water. As temperatures rise, your pet needs more fluids than usual. Will your dog or cat not drink enough? In a playful way for dogs, you can use the Splash Water Fountain. Cats often love running water, the Fresh Flow Fountain provides fresh running water with its filter.
3. Use a cooling mat. Such as the CoolPets Premium Cooling Mat. This is made of gel that the cat or dog can lie on with its belly. An animal cools best via the belly.
4. Make sure the house is the pet's cool refuge. Keep curtains and doors closed during the day. In the evening, don't forget to ventilate the house. Opening windows in the evening cools the house naturally.
5. Who doesn't love playing with their pet? We certainly love it! But with this heat, it is wiser to do those playtimes in the evening and not during the day. Still want to play with a dog during the day? Then there are the Coolpets Splash Sprinkler Pads (where the dog can enjoy running through the sprinklers) and the Ice Bone, Ice Ball and Ice Ring toys (which are filled with water beforehand and put in the freezer). Not playing but cooling off? The Coolpets Bandana keeps the animal cool. Wet the bandana with water and wring it out. Then shake it out 2 or 3 times so oxygen cools Coolpets' special fabric right away!
6. Asphalt and streets get very hot in this heat, which can burn dogs' and cats' paws. If the dog does have to walk on hot streets while walking, it is wise to use the special Goo-eez dog shoes.
7. Protect sensitive and light-haired parts of the skin, such as muzzle and ears, from UV rays and burns with the Coolpets Sunblock Lotion or Cream.
8. Give the pet a cooling snack, such as the YowUp Yoghurt placed in the fridge beforehand or the YowUp Frozen Yoghurt.
Also interesting: read our article with tips & tricks for going on holiday with the dog.
In an attempt to bring the body back to normal temperature, the body tries to increase heat output through faster blood circulation. The heart rate goes up, forcing the heart to work harder. The dog starts panting faster and sweating (through the soles of the feet). Overheating can have serious, sometimes even fatal, consequences for a dog. They may suffer from heat cramp (in the muscles), they walk around dazed, vomiting, have diarrhoea and sometimes a dark red/purple tongue. Dogs can also faint; this occurs when there is insufficient blood flow to the brain. In the most severe cases, the dog may suffer a heat stroke, this can even kill the dog.
Do you suspect your dog is suffering from heat stress or overheating? If so, contact your vet as soon as possible. Even if you have doubts, it is best to contact them just to be sure, as overheating is an emergency.
It is important to get the animal out of the heat as soon as possible if heat stress or overheating is suspected. Take it to a cool, ventilated area and place it on a cool surface. Try to keep the animal cool with lukewarm water. When doing so, cool the neck, belly, armpits and groin. Do not use cold water, as this causes the blood vessels to contract, reducing the ability to release heat through the skin. Lukewarm water mainly cools the air in the fur, so heat can be released better. In addition, a fan can be used to blow cool air towards the head, allowing the animal to cool down via breathing as well. Give the animal plenty of cool water, possibly with a pinch of dissolved salt.
