Avoid Pet Heat Stroke This Summer!

Pet Heat Stroke needs to be avoided

Many of our pets love the sunshine but that feeling of warmth as they soak in the rays can soon lead to heat stroke and even sunburn if we are not careful. Whether they are guinea pigs, hamsters, fish, birds, cats, dogs, rabbits, donkeys or horses, etc., keeping our animals safe and comfortable in hot weather isn’t always easy but we hope these ideas help.

(These ideas are taken from our July/August 2022 issue which also includes prices and suppliers at that time.

Help them keep their cool with a solid, anti-slip, Piscine Dog. Or how about a stainless steel water fountain for cats and dogs, complete with built-in pump and carbon filters?
Water can be even more fun with a floating toy or two. Look out for the KONG Wet Wubba and the KONG Aqua and enjoy watching them avoid pet heat stroke.
Did you know that there are beds that can be packed up quickly for use on the beach or in the garden and offer a comfortable respite from the sun with their removable canopies?
Worried about their food warming up on hot days whilst you are out? Help is at hand with an automatic food distributor that automatically dispenses one, two or three meals a day and has a built-in cool pack.

Rabbits, hamsters, cats, mice? Give them a new house designed to keep its cool thanks to a granite stone top.
Incorporating non-toxic polymer beads that absorb four times their volume in water, an evaporating collar will stop them giving off steam by releasing its own refreshing vapour.
Woah! Lightweight and allowing your pony or horse to move freely, a refreshing cover will help to keep your horse or pony fresh for four to six hours.
Lighter coloured fur and bare skin patches can be protected with a pet-safe sun and, if they have sensitive eyes how about some UV protection sunglasses for cats and dogs. Ideal if they like to put their head out of the car window, they are windproof and waterproof too!

Top Tips for Sunny Days

Provide lots of fresh, cold water

Make sure they have a shaded area

Place ice cubes in their water bowls

Provide damp towels for them to lie on

Keep an eye open for flystrike

Don’t leave them in a car*, even with the window open

Move fish tanks and bird cages away from window hotspots

Apply sun cream – but make sure it is pet-safe

PLEASE DON’T FORGET: If you see an animal in a hot car, call the police or, if it’s at a retail outlet, contact security immediately. You could be at risk of a fine if you break a window yourself or act without authorisation. However, it’s not just cars. Conservatories and caravans can be a death trap for any animal. It might be 22°C outside but the temperature inside can quickly rise to around 47°C, and that’s a risk to life.