insideKENT Magazine Issue 89 - August 2019 | Page 163

Allpets Veterinary Clinic warns
against the signs of heat stroke
Yes, I know this country is not exactly tropical, but when we do get warm spells we are often
caught unawares. Also if you take your dog to Europe, then you really need to be alert.
How to heat-proof your pet’s environment: Signs of excessive heat to watch out for:
• Make sure every creature has shade and access to water
24/7 • Lethargy (lying flat out and not responding normally)
• Supply frozen water bottles in the caged animals’ runs to
provide a cool spot • Hot ears
• Rig up “air-conditioning” by hanging damp towels/sheets a
metre in front of a fan directed obliquely towards the pet (you
don’t want to chill them either!) • Fitting in extreme cases, and unfortunately this makes the
animal hotter still
• Panting (dogs) or open-mouthed breathing in other pets
• Thirst
• Freeze ‘icy-poles’ for your dog to chew on
Things to avoid doing in hot weather What to do if your dog gets too hot
• Don’t walk your dog in the heat of the day, especially if they
are dark-coated or flat-nosed. • Apply damp tea towel over the dog and direct a fan directly
towards them
• Don’t excite your dog, no ball games when
its warm • Take their temperature every 10 minutes (use an ear
thermometer ideally)
• Avoid swimming in lakes and ponds in hot weather as they
often have toxic blue-green algae. If your pet accidentally
does go in, immediately wash off their coats with copious
fresh water. • Get them to a vet urgently if their temperature is going up
(over 39.5C), they need intravenous fluids to avoid brain
damage.
• You can provide shallow paddling pools in your garden
with fresh water daily. Make sure there is a ramp for small
creatures to crawl out if they fall in….you don’t want to drown
our thirsty native species
• You can swim in the ocean, but watch out if the sand is warm:
you don’t want burnt feet.
Have some questions?
If you have any questions at all, call us. We are here to advise
on prevention, but if things go wrong then we are here to help.
Kind Hearts and Caring Hands
www.allpetsvetclinic.co.uk | 01689 834 109 | 10 Station Square, Petts Wood, Kent, BR5 1NA