With the weather getting warmer and warmer, experts advise pet owners to be careful with their pets.
DSPCA spokeswoman Gillian Bird told Dublin Live that owners of long-haired breeds or snub-nosed breeds like bull breeds need to be particularly mindful since they have a higher risk of getting a heatstroke. It is not only the heat that pet parents need to think about though.
Here are six tips on how to keep pets safe during the summer months.
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Be mindful of where your pet is in the car
Those travelling with their dogs on long journeys - especially if there's any possibility they are going to get stuck in traffic jams - have to be "super careful". Gillian says: "You can all be sitting there with your arms hanging out the window in the traffic when the traffic's at a standstill, but your pet is probably baking in the greenhouse that is the back of your car."
She added: “The best way to say it to people is if you wouldn't put a bar of chocolate or a block of ice cream where your dog is sitting in the car, then you've gotta think about your dog.” The DSPCA spokeswoman recommends turning on the air conditioning and making sure the windows are open, but "make sure the dog can't jump out the windows of the car as well".
Gillian added that dogs need to be secured in the back of the car, and not sitting on the lap of the driver, or next to the driver's seat. The rules of the road need to be followed, otherwise it would be dangerous both for the pets and for the people inside the car.
She said: "One of the other things that always freaks me out at this time of the year is you see people driving with their windows down and there are dogs hanging out the windows, their tongue out in the wind…" Dogs that are not secured could jump out the window and if it's a busy road "you've lost your dog basically - your dog is gonna get killed".
Make sure your pet has plenty of fresh water and somewhere cool to go
Pet owners need to ensure their pets have plenty of fresh water during the heat since, just like humans, they will get more thirsty as well. Gillian said that pet owners might need to top up the bowl more than just once a day.
They also need to have somewhere cool to go. Pets with lots of fur, snub-nosed dogs and older pets are particularly vulnerable. Cats can also suffer from heatstroke, Gillian said, as they often lie in the sun for "a bit too long", then they get overheated and then they can get "quite sick".
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Pets staying in the house such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and birds would also need to have shade and be out of direct sunshine. This goes for fish tanks as well - if the sun is shining directly on the tank, it can actually heat the water up a lot.
Know the signs of heatstroke in pets
Gillian explained: "In extreme cases of heat stroke, first of all, your dog won't accept food or water. They will be panting excessively, they'll be very lethargic, so they won't have any energy. They may lose consciousness, they may vomit."
She said that pet owners who see their animals in the stage where they are "clearly overheating and is in distress", they need to ring the vet straight away and get advice. Another thing they can also do is cool the pet down by getting a towel, running it under the cold tap, putting it down in a cold and shaded place and lying the pet on top of it.
She advised against throwing a bucket of water on them as it would be too much shock to their system. If you do think your animal has got overly hot, it is always worth ringing your vet to get advice, Gillian recommends. If you need to bring your pet to the vet, make an appointment early in the morning or later on in the afternoon.
Don't let you animal fall from an open window
With the weather getting warmer and warmer, we start opening the doors to our balconies and our windows more. Gillian warned cats and smaller dogs might actually fall down. She said: “A lot of cats and small dogs have a tendency to climb up and they will hang out of a window to get some fresh air.
"If you have a very curious dog in particular, as well as cats, try and move things away from the windows so they can't actually jump up.” Moving furniture away from windows and be careful how wide you open windows. It's always good to regularly check if their microchip is still working in case they actually fall down and run away.
Don’t let your pets lick you if you’re wearing sunscreen
Certain types of sunscreen contain chemicals that are toxic to pets, and that includes zinc. Gillian said: "Don't let your dog go licking your legs when you just put sunscreen on. It would normally be a fairly large quantity [to make them unwell] but it's never a good plan to let animals lick you anyway because they could be licking off hand cream or the cream you put on your legs."
Also, dogs and cats that have very pale fur can get sunburns so it’s worth asking your vet to recommend a non-toxic sunscreen.
Walk your dog really early in the morning or late in the evening
If the temperatures continue to go up during the summer, we have to be careful about our pet's feet, especially our dogs, because the tarmac and concrete can get very hot. One thing Gillian advises to do to check if it's too hot is putting a hand on the tarmac since tarmac that’s hot can actually burn the feet of the dogs.
If you can’t walk the pet early in the morning or late in the evening, “it's not the end of the world if a dog doesn't get out for a walk”. Gillian also recommends making "doggy ice pops" by sticking some of their pet food in a container and putting it in the freezer.
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