How to keep your pets comfortable & happy during a heatwave

When temperatures rise during the summer months, it’s crucial to look after your pets to keep them comfortable and healthy. Our furry friends, especially dogs and cats, can easily suffer from heat-related issues because of their thick fur and the fact that they can’t sweat like we do. In this post, we’ll share some helpful tips and precautions to ensure your pets stay happy and safe during a heatwave.

Keep them hydrated

Making sure your pets have clean, fresh water is extremely important, especially during a heatwave. Keep their water bowls topped up with cool water and why not toss in a few ice cubes to help keep things nice and chilled? If your furry friends spend time outside, ensure they have a shady spot to relax in, along with a bowl of water nearby.

Provide a cool place to rest

Pets need a cool and comfortable place to… well – chill – when temperatures soar. Put their beds or blankets in a cool, shaded area of your home, away from direct sunlight. You could also get them cooling mats or pet-safe gel packs to help keep them comfortable.

Limit outdoor activities

During a heatwave, it’s best to keep your pet’s outdoor activities to a minimum, especially during the hottest parts of the day. If you must take your dog for a walk, do so during the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler. Always carry water with you and avoid hot pavements and tarmac that can burn your pet’s paw pads.

Never leave your pet in a parked car

Never, ever leave your pet alone in a parked car, even with the windows open. The temperature inside a parked car can rise quickly, putting your pet at risk for heatstroke or even death. If you see a pet left alone in a parked car, contact local authorities or report it to the RSPCA immediately.

Keep them groomed

Regular grooming is essential for your pet’s health, especially during a heatwave. Remove loose fur and the dense undercoat that can trap heat close to your pet’s body, preventing proper air circulation. For breeds with very long, thick or double coats (like Huskies, Samoyeds or Golden Retrievers) consider a trim to help keep them comfortable in hot weather.

Watch for signs of heatstroke

Heatstroke can pose a serious threat to our furry friends, so it’s crucial to recognise the signs and symptoms. Look out for heavy panting, excessive drooling, bright red gums, a rapid heartbeat and lethargy. If you spot any of these warning signs, quickly move your pet to a cooler spot and contact your local vet straight away.

Consider a cooling vest

Cooling vests are a great way to help keep your pet cool when it’s hot outside. These vests are designed to absorb and retain water, which helps keep your pet’s body temperature regulated. Simply soak the vest in cold water, wring it out and place it on your pet before heading outdoors.

FAQs

Q: How can I tell if my pet is too hot?

A: Some common signs of overheating in pets include heavy panting, excessive drooling, bright red gums, rapid heartbeat and lethargy. If you notice any of these signs, move your pet to a cool area and contact your veterinarian immediately.

Q: Can I give my pet ice cubes to help them cool down?

A: Yes, you can give your pet ice cubes to help them cool down. You can also add a few ice cubes to their water bowl or use them to create a DIY cooling treat by freezing low-sodium chicken or beef broth in an ice cube tray. To really pamper your pet, treat them to a pupsicle or puppuccino!

Q: Should I shave my pet’s fur during a heatwave?

A: While it may seem like a good idea to shave your pet’s fur when it’s hot, it’s generally not recommended. A pet’s fur acts as insulation, helping to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Instead, consider a trim for dogs with long or thick fur to help keep them comfortable.

Conclusion

By keeping these tips in mind, you can ensure your pets stay happy and healthy during a heatwave. Make sure they have plenty of water, a cool spot to chill out and limit their time outside. And please, never leave them alone in a parked car! If you see any signs of heatstroke, don’t hesitate to call your vet right away. Stay cool and have a great summer with your furry companions!

Keeping cool in a heatwave from morning to night

As soon as spring rolls around in the Northern Hemisphere, you’re never far – these days – from a potential heatwave. People’s reactions to a rise in the mercury vary wildly from person to person, but with each hot day, more and more people will agree that the novelty eventually wears off. There’s certainly such a thing as being too hot, and while we don’t all reach that point at the same time, we all get there eventually. So it’s a good idea to have a plan for keeping cool in a heatwave, and all the better if it’s one that keeps you cool from sundown to sun-up.

Chase the sun (but not like that)

Direct sunlight pouring into your home causes the space to get warmer, quicker. If you have a cat, you’ll notice that they enjoy lying on the window sill when it’s particularly sunny – because a cat will always seek out the warm spots. But this greenhouse effect warms your whole home, and even one degree more can quickly become intolerable. So when you can see the sun soaking in through your windows, lower the blind and/or close the curtains; it’s best if you have blackout blinds and curtains for this specific purpose. During the day, the sun will cross over to the other side, so make sure to follow it and draw the blinds there, too.

Use fans in a smart way

Running a fan in your home or workspace can be reassuring in the hotter weather, but for many people it soon becomes clear that you’re basically moving hot air around and getting little relief from the heat. The smart move here is to place a bowl of ice or a frozen water bottle in front of the fan, and as the ice melts the fan will blow cooled water particles in your direction. This is the same principle by which air conditioning works, and it’s highly effective.

Speaking of air conditioning…

Running the air conditioning in your home cools the air, but when should you run it? Leaving it on all day is surely going to be too expensive, so should you ration it to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck? Well, no, not really. In fact, leaving the air con running may work out cheaper – it’s all about the temperature at which you set it. Find a temperature where you feel comfortable: let’s say between 20ºC and 24ºC. Set your evaporative cooling service to keep things at that level, and it will only run when it needs to, before returning to idling the rest of the time. This will use less energy than letting the temperature climb into the 30s or above and then running the air con, so it makes financial sense.

Windows: open at night, closed during the day

There’ll be a temptation to open your windows when your home is warm and it’s sunny outside, but this isn’t an efficient thing to do. If it’s hotter outside than it is in your home (and it invariably is in the morning), then you’re just letting in cool air, so keep them closed. Overnight, the temperature drops by several degrees, so keep the windows open a crack when you go to bed; you’ll sleep more soundly and wake up to a fresher, cooler house.

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Price Points: Hand fans

We’ve just had an unbelievably hot spell of weather. Temperatures broke records, and getting on with daily life was unbearable. When you’re at home, you can rely on a desk, floor or ceiling fan, but what do you do when you’re out and about? Pop a hand fan in your bag or pocket!

Sitting on a hot, stuffy bus or train is made that much more manageable with a fan to help cool you down. If you’re lucky enough to be sitting around a pool or on a beach – waving a hand fan means you don’t have to get into the water to cool down if you don’t want to.

The watermelon fan is my favourite – I hate the taste of the real thing – but this fan is so playful and just screams hot summer days!

Chinese sandalwood folding hand fan: £0.99, Confetti Shop
Portable bladeless mini hand-held fan, USB chargeable: £4.59 eBay
Watermelon slice print fabric and wood folding fan: £12.74, Etsy

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